Markiplier’s parents divorced when he was young, forcing his Dad to struggle to raise his two sons alone. The divorce led to Markiplier being forced to switch schools and losing many of his belongings.

Markiplier was very close with his Dad and was with him when he lost his battle with cancer. Later in his career, "Doom Eternal" developers put an unexpected Easter Egg in the game to honor his late father.

Markiplier’s niece, Miranda, died in a car accident in 2018, which forced him to take a short break from streaming and his YouTube videos. He has referred to his niece as one of his “earliest supporters.”

Before creating his YouTube channel, Markiplier endured a falling out with his mother, unemployment, emergency surgery, and a devastating breakup. However, overcoming those obstacles helped him to become the success he is today.