The family of Avery Garcia, a 12-year-old Pokémon card collector who died of pancreatic cancer on September 18th, has publicly demanded that online sellers immediately remove listings that have used the boy’s passing to profit off his likeness. In the week since his death, several vendors have capitalized on the tragedy, with one eBay seller reportedly asking as much as $20,000 for a specific card tied to Garcia’s final video. The family’s statement has drawn widespread sympathy from the TCG community, while the seller behind the most controversial listing has publicly lashed out at collectors who called for the cards to be pulled.
Garcia, known online as “Avery the Poke Kid,” became a beloved figure in the trading card community through videos of him opening packs, which lifted spirits across the fanbase during his illness. His final video captured a poignant moment: the young collector unboxed a rare illustrated Jirachi card from the recent 30th anniversary set. The bittersweet footage resonated deeply, with the emotional weight of the moment rippling through the community and even reaching the card’s illustrator, Akira Egawa.
A Statement From a Grieving Family
The parents, Christian Garcia and Rebecca Rosa-Valentin, issued an official statement expressing both their grief and their outrage at the commercialization of their son’s memory. They made clear that they have no connection to the disputed sales and are simply trying to grieve in peace.
“We are not involved in or benefiting from any cards being sold in Avery’s name or likeness.” We have not approved these sales. We have asked sellers to take their listings down. Please do so immediately. This does not honor Avery’s generous heart. We are mourning our son and caring for our children. Please let us do that in peace.”
Christian Garcia and Rebecca Rosa-Valentin
The statement has been widely shared across social platforms and appears to have galvanized collectors to pressure the offending vendors. The family emphasized that they are not seeking financial gain from the situation and are focused solely on supporting their remaining children through this difficult period.
Scalping Meets Sympathy
The controversy centers on a specific Jirachi card that gained renewed attention after Garcia’s final video was posted. Demand for the exact card surged, prompting some vendors to attempt to convert the emotional response into a payday. One eBay seller, “Ash’s Secret Vault,” sought $20,000 for the specific Jirachi, promising to donate 90% of the proceeds to charity. However, collectors noted that the listing initially allocated only 10% to the Kids Cancer Foundation, meaning the inflated price would still leave the seller with substantial profit above the asking rate.
When scrutiny mounted over the sale, the vendor responded defensively. “After hearing about Avery’s passing, I had coincidentally just pulled a Jirachi and thought I could use it to raise money,” the seller wrote. “I wanted to help [the family] by using our highly rated storefront and eBay as a place to hopefully grab the attention of someone that DOES have that kind of money. Nonetheless, you reddit aholes will not stop my mission [sic] you only stopped the family from getting money directly so good work.”
The vendor maintains that nothing directly related to Avery’s death has been sold, though the family remains firm that they do not want to see their child used as a framework for fortune-seeking. As of this writing, Ash’s Secret Vault has removed all charity listings, although prices on similar Jirachi cards across the site appear to be trending upward overall.
Illustrator Reflects on the Impact
The emotional resonance of Garcia’s final video extended beyond the collector community, reaching the artist who created the coveted Jirachi illustration. Akira Egawa, the illustrator behind the card, took to social media to express the weight of the moment and the hope embedded in the artwork.
“I want my art to bring happiness to people. That’s one of the reasons I draw. I’m so glad I put that wish into this piece.”
Akira Egawa
Egawa’s words underscore the broader tension at play: an artwork created to celebrate a milestone anniversary has become entangled in a story of loss and, for some, exploitation. The contrast between the genuine goodwill of the collector community and the mercenary motives of certain sellers highlights a recurring friction within the TCG market.
A Broader Market in Turmoil
The incident unfolds against a backdrop of ongoing supply and demand issues within the Pokémon TCG. Hoping to address short supplies and scalping frenzies, The Pokémon Company intentionally designed the 30th anniversary set with more generous pull rates, making traditionally sought-after cards easier to obtain. To speculative investors who treat the cards as assets, these changes have become a source of frustration, as demand no longer flows as naturally.
With demand not arriving organically, resellers have attempted to capitalize on recurring misprints to artificially drum up value, creating a market that has been described as a site of bedlam for years. Citing a cancer victim to justify inflated prices represents, in the eyes of the family and many fans, a new low for the industry.
Looking Ahead
The immediate focus remains on the removal of the disputed listings and the restoration of a respectful environment around Avery Garcia’s memory. While Ash’s Secret Vault has reportedly complied by clearing its charity listings, the broader trend of price inflation on similar cards suggests that the underlying market dynamics remain unresolved. The family hopes that continued community pressure will help ensure that Garcia’s legacy is honored rather than exploited, while collectors continue to weigh in on the ethics of the secondary market.
As the situation develops, the case serves as a stark reminder of the human stories that intersect with the Pokémon TCG, and the delicate balance between genuine fandom and profit-driven opportunism. Whether the community can hold sellers accountable remains to be seen, but the family’s clear message has set a standard for how such tragedies should be treated.
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