Father Asks Pokémon Company to Honor Late Son
Christian Garcia publicly requested a trading card in memory of his son Avery, a Pokémon Trading Card Game influencer who died at age 12.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Board Games
Christian Garcia asked The Pokémon Company to create a trading card honoring his late son Avery, known as Avery the Poké Kid. Avery died in September 2026 at age 12 after a seven-year battle with pancreatic cancer.
Why it matters
The request highlights how a young collector's connection to the Pokémon Trading Card Game has drawn fans into a public campaign for a memorial card. It also follows the family's earlier effort to stop sellers from inflating prices of a card tied to Avery's likeness.
Avery died at age 12 following a seven-year battle with pancreatic cancer. His family had earlier asked sellers in September to remove listings that inflated the price of a 30th Anniversary Jirachi SIR card, while the company's response to the new request remains unannounced.
The players
The Pokémon Company
The Japanese company that publishes and manages the Pokémon franchise, including the Pokémon Trading Card Game.
Christian Garcia
Avery's father, who publicly requested the memorial trading card on Instagram.
The details
On November 6, Christian Garcia posted a tearful video on Instagram addressed to The Pokémon Company asking it to honor Avery with a card. The card artist reacted emotionally to Avery's final pack pull, a 30th Anniversary Jirachi SIR card, on Twitter/X, and fans and collectors are campaigning to draw the company's attention to the request.
Timeline
September 2026: Avery died, and his family asked sellers to remove inflated Jirachi listings.
November 6, 2026: Christian Garcia posted the video asking The Pokémon Company for a card.
Culture Shift
The request reflects how the Pokémon Trading Card Game's collector community has built personal and memorial connections around individual influencers. It follows a pattern in which fans value cards for their ties to specific people, not only their market value.
Collectors who buy or sell Pokémon cards may see listings tied to specific players or likenesses drawn into public debate about pricing. Families and fans of influencers can also follow how publishers respond to memorial requests, which may shape expectations around similar cards.
The takeaway
Collectible trading cards can carry personal meaning far beyond their market value, and communities around them often respond to tributes with support. Readers who collect should watch for listings that inflate prices tied to real people's likenesses.
Further reading
Explore more on Board Games to see how collectible card communities form around players and personalities.
Source note: This article includes information reported by IGN India.
