Double Rainbow over Farmland on Mt. Ngongotaha, New Zealand.
© Gerhard Egger/Corbis
Paul L. Vasquez, the man behind the "double rainbow" video that went viral in 2010, died Saturday aged 57.
Vasquez discussed health issues on his Facebook page, and mentioned being tested for COVID-19, but the cause of death has not yet been released.
His famous "double rainbow" video is one of the earliest examples of viral video fame. Double rainbows aren't all that uncommon, but Vasquez's reaction — shot outside California's Yosemite National Park — was what transformed the video into a must-watch. Funny, obviously, but also incredibly heart-warming and earnest: "double rainbow all the way!" To this day it's the first thing I think of when I see a vivid rainbow in the sky. I suspect most people who grew up on the internet feel the same way.
Five years ago CNN did a "Where is he now" story on Vasquez, he compared his double rainbow moment to a "religious experience". In the wake of his online fame he appeared on Jimmy Kimmel, and even did an ad for Microsoft.
He's survived by two adult children, a son and a daughter.
