The LGBTQ+ community continues to mourn the loss of Lane V Rogers (aka Blake Mitchell), who passed away on Monday, December 15, following a motorcycle accident in Ventura County, California. He was 31 years old.
Lane had been visiting friends in Los Angeles when the tragedy occurred near the Pacific Coast Highway in Oxnard. He was pronounced dead at the scene, and an investigation into the crash remains ongoing.
For over a decade, Lane was a beloved figure in the LGBTQ+ community – first rising to prominence in adult entertainment under the name Blake Mitchell, before reclaiming his identity as Lane Rogers.
But to those who knew him personally, he was so much more than his public persona. He was a Kentucky native who loved horses, a friend who showed up when it mattered, an advocate for bisexual visibility, and someone whose energy could light up a room.
In the days since his passing, friends, former partners, and colleagues have shared heartfelt tributes across social media – painting a portrait of a man who lived authentically, loved fiercely, and left an indelible mark on everyone he met.
Leo Grand: “Take a Big Bite Out of Life”
Chad Alec, who was Lane’s boyfriend for several years, shared an emotional tribute that revealed the depth of their connection.
The two met in October 2018 while Lane was promoting his semi-autobiographical book in Phoenix, Arizona. Chad was working as a hairstylist at the time, and their chemistry was immediate. By December, they were moving to Los Angeles together, with Lane calling them a “power couple” on YouTube.
“Early Tuesday morning I had a phone call with Lane’s mother and my heart broke all over again,” Chad wrote. “I’m utterly devastated and shocked beyond comprehension at his death.”
He shared a phrase that perfectly captured Lane’s approach to life: “Lane would say to me ‘Take a big bite out of life Chad’ and that’s exactly how he lived – no matter what he was going through Lane always chose happiness.”
“The impact Lane had on my life is immeasurable,” Chad continued. “I would not be who I am today if it weren’t for him. He meant the world to me and I will miss him every day.”
Davey Wavey: “So Full of Life”
Davey Wavey, the popular gay YouTuber and filmmaker, shared a particularly poignant tribute alongside a photo from 2015.
“This photo was taken in May of 2015, when I first met Lane (then known as Blake Mitchell) and his boyfriend at the time, Casey,” Davey wrote. “It’s almost impossible to comprehend that both of the young men in this picture – both so kind, intelligent, and so full of life – are no longer with us.”
Davey’s words carry extra weight given the tragic context. Lane’s first serious boyfriend, Casey Tanner, passed away in April 2023 at just 28 years old after battling health issues. Those who knew the couple described Casey as “one of Lane’s soulmates.”
“After helping Lane and Casey launch a YouTube channel, Lane later appeared in many Himeros films and, more importantly, became a friend,” Davey continued. “Another bright light taken far too soon. I will deeply miss this very special man.”
Joey Mills: “He Would Fly Across the Country to Help You”
Joey Mills, a close friend and frequent collaborator, shared memories that spoke to Lane’s unwavering loyalty.
“Over the last decade Lane has been one of my closest and kindest friends,” Joey wrote. “The type that would literally fly across the country at the drop of a hat to help you if you needed it.”
Joey described Lane as someone you could talk with for hours about everything and nothing – the kind of friend who made you want to be better.
“He did so much in this lifetime yet there was still so much more for him to do,” Joey reflected. “He really loved and inspired so many people in this world including myself and always pushed himself and his friends to do better.”
In a heartbreaking admission, Joey shared that he’s been struggling to process the loss: “I keep finding myself walking around my house talking to him wondering if he can hear me. It still doesn’t feel real.”
Liam Riley: “The Last Memory I’ll Hold Forever”
Liam Riley, a performer and influencer who had known Lane for a decade, posted a tribute that was made even more poignant by its timing.
“My heart is so heavy with the passing of my loved one,” Liam wrote. “I can’t believe I would be making this post this soon.”
Liam described Lane as “the sweetest, smartest, most charming man I’ve ever met. A true definition of a gentleman. He was so romantic and loved so unconditionally.”
But it was Liam’s final memory with Lane that will haunt anyone who reads it.
“I last saw him on Sunday evening – thank you for making my last day with you incredible. How I wish I could spend more time with you,” Liam wrote. “Getting to see your favorite team (Go Rams) win the game and make it to the playoffs will be a memory I hold forever.”
Lane died the very next day.
Sean Ford: “He Made Me Feel Safe”
Sean Ford, a friend from the industry who also collaborated with Lane, shared a deeply personal reflection on how he impacted his life from the very beginning.
“Lane was the first person I worked with in our shared industry and we became fast friends,” Sean explained. “I was instantly drawn to him as someone I could trust in a new intimidating place in which I knew no one and which I knew nothing about.”
Sean’s tribute highlighted Lane’s gift for making others feel valued and protected.
“He made me feel safe. He had a kindness and a gentleness to him that felt like home,” Sean wrote. “We bonded over our similar backgrounds and experiences, and we laughed a lot, cried some, and had good times and bad.”
“His shining smiling face is clear burned into my brain and I hope it never leaves,” he concluded. “Rest in peace, Lane my friend. I love you.”
Jake Jaxson: “The Very Good, The Very Gentle, The Very Brave”
Director Jake Jaxson shared what may be the most literary and profound tribute, opening with a quote from Ernest Hemingway that he and Lane had once discussed.
“The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially.”
Jake revealed that Lane had discussed this quote with him and their mutual friend while planning a project together – using it as a kind of battle cry about growing stronger through pain.
“But today I am devastated by its deeper meaning – one I never imagined,” Jake wrote.
“Lane was one of those. He would not break. He was one of the very good, the very gentle, and the very brave.”
Jake described Lane as someone who “lived with a quiet fearlessness” – showing up “open-hearted, excited, curious, unarmored.”
“He lived with a gentleness that protected a healing heart, always doing his best to find the courage to change, the courage to feel, to care, to meet life as it is – problems and all – and, most importantly, to be freely himself.”
“For me now, that line belongs to him as much as it belongs to Hemingway,” Jake concluded. “It carries his voice, forever reminding me how to live.”
Laganja Estranja: A Message From a Drag Race Star
Even Laganja Estranja, the fan-favorite queen from RuPaul’s Drag Race, took to Lane’s final Instagram post to express her grief.
“We are ALL going to miss you so much sweetheart,” Laganja wrote in the comments – a testament to how Lane’s warmth and authenticity transcended any single community.
Andrew: “No One Loved Like Lane”
Perhaps the most complete portrait of Lane came from Andrew, his former roommate and close friend, who captured both his spirit and his relentless drive.
“When we reconnected in Seattle in 2016, I didn’t know what to make of him,” Andrew began. “He had this energy that draws you in, makes you hang on every word. We were just supposed to get coffee but ended up spending two days driving around the city causing trouble.”
Andrew’s tribute painted a picture of someone who lived at full speed, always moving forward.
“From Sicily to Manhattan, from the Jessamine County gorge to Daufuskie Island – Lane only ever had one speed: Go,” he wrote. “That’s how he did everything. He went back to school, built a business, rescued horses. He defied every expectation about who he was supposed to become and made the rest of us realize we didn’t know as much about the world as we thought.”
Andrew referenced the lion tattoo on Lane’s chest – not just because Lane was a Leo by birth, but because it represented something deeper.
“We’d joke it was really because he had the heart of a lion,” Andrew explained.
He ended with words that have been echoed by so many who knew Lane:
“No one loved like Lane. No one lived like Lane.”
Lane’s family has asked for privacy during this time, and details about a memorial service will be shared when they become available.
In his final years, Lane had been pursuing new dreams beyond the world that made him famous. He studied acting with aspirations of transitioning to mainstream entertainment, then he enrolled at the University of Kentucky to study business, and even threw himself into competitive equestrian sports – going from never having jumped a horse to competing at Novice level in just one year.
Now, in a bittersweet twist, Lane is finally getting the mainstream recognition he once sought. His death has been reported by major publications including People, Entertainment Tonight, The Sun, Yahoo, and outlets around the world – not for the persona he played, but for the person he was.
Those who knew Lane are left with memories of a man who chose happiness, who loved unconditionally, who showed up for his friends without hesitation – and who, as one friend put it, had the heart of a lion.
His story is a reminder that behind every public figure is a real person with dreams, struggles, love, and loss. Lane Rogers lived authentically, loved fiercely, and left this world far too soon.
Rest in peace, Lane.