Daraya Koedjoe, a Dutch cosplay creator known online as Darayacos, died unexpectedly Oct. 26, according to a GoFundMe organized by her friends. She was 26.
Her death was announced in an Oct. 31 post shared on her Instagram account with other cosplay creators. Friends and family remembered her for her art and the care she showed others.
“Daraya contributed to the lives of others“A legacy that we are proud of and will continue to uphold.”
A cause of death was not mentioned but the fundraiser noted funds would be donated to a suicide prevention hotline in the Netherlands. Koedjoe had nearly 10,000 Instagram followers and often shared photos of her costumes and trips to cosplay conventions with friends.
Away from her costumes, she helped children get support, those who knew her said. She worked as a social worker at Stichting Leergeld, helping children in difficult home situations get money and other support. Friends said her wish to help people was central to who she was.
“This is who Daraya was, she always wanted to help, and saw beauty and kindness in everyone she met,” they said in the fundraiser.
Her creative work also gave her a chance to speak about race and who gets seen. In her most recent post on Instagram on Oct. 3, Koedjoe said she helped advise a cosplay exhibition at Design Museum Den Bosch. She said she wanted to make sure people of color were heard and that the show addressed race and the challenges people face while cosplaying.
She also shared her pride in having two favorite costumes, Clawdeen and Bayonetta. “Officially became a piece of art,” she wrote. The exhibition runs through March 21, 2027.
After learning of her passing, people filled the comments with memories of her warmth.
One person recalled meeting Koedjoe through cosplay conventions. “I knew Daraya through the cosplay convention, and every time I ran into her, she brought such a bright, wonderful energy to the room.”
Others remembered kindness that reached beyond in-person friendships, including someone who said Koedjoe had welcomed them when they began posting cosplay content in 2022.
“She was so kind to me despite never meeting in person,” they wrote.
Friends launched the fundraiser to help pay for her farewell. It had raised more than $10,000 as of Nov. 7.
According to its description, money will cover memorial expenses and other costs tied to her farewell. Any remaining funds will go to Stichting Leergeld and 113 Suicide Prevention Netherlands.
Friends also asked people to send favorite memories, music and footage to [email protected]. Updates about the memorial and her legacy would be shared on the Instagram account @darayacos_memorial.
