TikTok’s 'Dancing Engineer' Dead from Complications of Dengue Fever

Courtesy of Jainer Moises Pinedo Vargas/Instagram

Jainer Moises Pinedo Vargas, better known on social media as the “Dancing Engineer,” died on Sunday, August 22 due to complications from dengue fever. He was 34.

Vargas contracted the mosquito-borne disease while in Condorcanqui Province, Peru on July 21, according to Peru21. Dengue fever is prevalent in tropical and subtropical climates, with the Mayo Clinic describing symptoms as “flu-like,” including nausea, vomiting, headaches and muscle/bone/joint pain. While most cases clear up “in a week or so,” severe cases, aptly called “severe dengue,” can be fatal.

After Vargas went to a hospital in Bagua, Peru, doctors transferred him to a larger facility in Chiclayo when they discovered fluid around his lungs. There, his condition worsened as the fluid led to respiratory arrest. Doctors soon put him on a ventilator.

When Vargas underwent testing in the ICU, doctors found he had Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which Department of Health Deputy Minister Ricardo Peña told Peru21 likely contributed to his death.

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Vargas’ mother, Betty Vargas Garcia, posted a tribute to her son via Facebook, writing, “Rest in peace, beloved son. We will miss you.”

Even through the early days of Vargas’ hospitalization, he continued posting content to his wildly popular social media channels. He had 53,000 followers on Instagram and more than 20,000 on TikTok at the time of his death.

“Sick people who don’t dance don’t die!! We are only with 20% of energy,” he captioned an Instagram post on August 1, in which he could be seen smiling and dancing in his hospital gown next to his bed. During the video, his diaper falls down, which does not stop his dance.

Courtesy of Jainer Moises Pinedo Vargas/Instagram

Vargas went viral for the first time in 2021 for his dance for the song “No se” by Explosion de Iquitos. It eventually led to the band, which is from Vargas’ home town of Iquitos, inviting him to appear in the song’s official video.

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‘We will remember you with the joy that you always conveyed in every performance we attended, dear Jainer ‘El Ingeniero Bailarín,’” the band said in a statement. “We want to express our deepest condolences to the family.”

Actress Cecilia Brozovich, who is from Peru, posted a tribute as well, noting how Vargas’ first viral moment provided needed levity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

‘When we were still experiencing the sadness and uncertainty brought on by the pandemic, a character emerged who, with his cheerful and contagious dance, became very popular and loved!’ she wrote. ‘Very grateful for that! I will say a prayer for you Jainer Pinedo! May God welcome you with open arms.’