Richard Tyler Blevins, better known by his online alias Ninja, shocked his millions of followers when he broke the news of his recent skin cancer diagnosis. At 32, the renowned gamer shared that his wife, Jessica Blevins, had prompted him to go for a routine skin check, leading to the detection of malignant cells.
Jessica Blevins, 31, had arranged a dermatologist appointment for her husband, insisting on an annual skin/mole examination. Unexpectedly, this routine check-up turned out to be a life-saving decision.
During the appointment, the dermatologist suggested removing a mole on Ninja’s foot as a precautionary measure. The results later revealed it to be melanoma, a type of skin cancer.
Despite the shocking revelation, the doctors remain optimistic as they believe to have caught the cancer in its early stages. Another dark spot near the original mole has since been biopsied and a larger area around the melanoma has been removed. The medical team is hopeful that microscopic examination will reveal clear, non-melanoma edges, confirming that they’ve managed to remove all of the cancerous cells.
Ninja, with his 23.9 million YouTube subscribers, used this personal experience to raise awareness about the importance of regular skin check-ups.
“I’m grateful to have hope in finding this early, but please take this as a PSA to get skin checkups,” the internet personality urged his followers.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, melanoma usually “develops on skin that gets too much sun” but can also begin in areas rarely exposed to sun, such as the foot. This cancer often spreads before it’s noticed due to a lack of foot checks, making early detection crucial.
Ninja refrained from making any immediate comment when contacted by PEOPLE for further information on his condition.
Jessica, who tied the knot with Ninja in 2017, reiterated her husband’s message on social media, expressing gratitude for their move to Florida, which she believes prompted their proactive health checks.
She wrote, “Crazy butterfly effect moment – I probably wouldn’t have started scheduling annual skin checkups yet if we didn’t move to Florida. Foot melanoma is not sun-related, so it would have been there anyways and we might not have found it. Thank God 🙏🏼.”
Jessica also thanked their fans for their outpouring love and support, vowing to stand strong for Ninja during this challenging time.
