NANAIMO — Well-known for documenting off-roading and camping expeditions, a Nanaimo couple has died in the terrain they cherished.
Matthew Yeomans and Stacey Tourout, both in their early 30s, passed away due to an off-road crash on Thursday, Aug. 7, “in the beautiful mountains of British Columbia that they loved so much,” as described in a Facebook post by Stacey’s grief-stricken mother.
The couple were social media influencers, well known for their popular YouTube channel, Toyota World Runners, which had over 200,000 subscribers.
Yeomans and Tourout presented highly engaging videos depicting their adventures, predominantly in B.C., but also around the world, often featuring scenic and unique places.
Yeomans and Tourout in front of their 1976 Toyota 4X4 Chinook. (Instagram/Toyotaworldrunners)Tips to transform and repair old trucks and budget for extended road trips were also referenced in Yeoman’s and Tourout’s videos.
News of the couple’s death has led to an outpouring of condolences from friends and members of the off-roading community.
While Vancouver Island featured heavily in the couple’s videos, expeditions in South America and a recent trip to New Zealand were also chronicled.
Their South American journey, titled ‘The Greatest Road Trip on Earth | The Pan American Movie’, was published seven months ago, garnering well over a million views.
Yeomans and Tourout quit their jobs, sold their belongings and pursued a career funded by YouTube over the course of a year and a half while visiting several countries.
The trip was made possible by the conversion of a 1976 Toyota Chinook 4X4, including a mini RV trailer mounted on the vehicle’s cargo box.
“Don’t get lost in believing anything is possible. Believe in one thing so much that impossible doesn’t even come close to it,” Yeomans said during the video’s opening.
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