Ben Bader's stepsister Toria Aronoff Schottenstein mourns “kind” YouTuber after he dies in freak sauna accident

Ben Bader, an American motivational speaker and online entrepreneur who wrote about growing his brand as he faced death from advanced stomach cancer, died in October. There is not much detail available about his actual cause of death as of now.

Bader was identified as a stepbrother by Toria Aronoff Schottenstein, who shared the news publicly. Aronoff Schottenstein remembered his late stepbrother in an emotional social media post, praising his spirit and influence on the lives around him.

"Luckiest to have called you my stepbrother. You were the most genuine, brilliant, and kind hearted soul ..someone who made everyone around you feel seen and loved. The Ben Effect! Your legacy will continue to inspire us every single day. May we all strive to be a little more like Ben," she wrote on Facebook.

Bader was the original creator with the handle "@benhbader" on X, where he gained 44,000 followers by posting about growth in self and creativity. He soon branched out onto Instagram and YouTube, where he created content about writing, entrepreneurship, and lifestyle topics.

His YouTube channel consists of 18,800 subscribers, with viral posts like "Tour My $6 M Miami Penthouse" and "From Frat Kid to 7-Figure Success." On TikTok, he has gained a whopping 794,000 total likes for comedic, motivational shorts.

A look into Ben Bader's family and connections as tributes pour in

Bader's parents were Jon Bader and Karen Aronoff. His mother, Karen, was formerly married to Jay Aronoff, therefore making Toria Aronoff his stepsister.

This familial connection was confirmed in the details of Toria Aronoff and Brian Schottenstein’s wedding announcement, which stated that “her mother Karen and stepfather Jon Bader) watched her walk with pride.”

Toria Aronoff’s recent post confirms the close relationship they had, outside the glare of their public life and media. This connection also connected Bader to the noted Schottenstein family of Columbus, Ohio, after his stepsister married Brian Schottenstein, president of Schottenstein Real Estate Group.

While Ben Bader constructed his public persona as an independent entrepreneur and content creator, his private life was firmly established in relationships with these well-known families.

Ben Bader’s death got to me.

i’ve heard about him over the years.

kid had a big heart, a bright mind.
didn’t operate from a place of ego.

And had a beautiful way of articulating his thoughts.

life can be unfair.. cruel. what a tragedy. rip. https://t.co/LqGVJ9PSHn pic.twitter.com/baJJNW155J

— Wayne (@waynexonline) October 24, 2025

Nabeel Azeez, fellow copywriter, honored Ben Bader by highlighting his wide-eyed optimism and being able to “sell through hope” rather than fear. According to Azeez, Bader achieved success early, inspiring so many through his outlook on life and business.

"Ben made getting rich look easy. He made living life look easy. While many of us sell through fear, Ben sold through hope. His optimism was infectious — he made you feel like you could achieve anything." Azeez said in a statement.

According to his obituary, while Bader's life was short, his message to "do your living now" continues to inspire countless people to chase down their purpose and joy rather than pressure. Since Ben Bader's passing, hundreds of online tributes have referred to him as a “mentor from afar” and "a light” in the digital business space.