The 32-year-old singer died in a helicopter crash in Brazil on June 14.

Oliver Tree’s mom shares emotional tribute after late singer said family is not ‘going to get a penny’

The 32-year-old singer died in a helicopter crash in Brazil on June 14.

By Sharareh Drury

June 19, 2026 11:37 a.m. ET

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Oliver Tree in 2024. Credit:

Samir Hussein/WireImage

- Oliver Tree's mother wrote that her son "made this world a better place" in a Facebook tribute following his death.

- In April, the singer shared he would not leave his family "a penny" of his wealth when he dies.

- Tree was among six people killed when two helicopters collided in Brazil on June 14.

Oliver Tree's mother is paying tribute to her son, who died at 32 in a helicopter crash in Brazil on Sunday.

"Our dear son Oliver, you made this world a better place. We are so proud of you. RIP," his mother Christine Begin Nickell wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday.

Nickell also shared a photo of a young Tree (né Oliver Tree Nickell), who at the time had short blonde hair — a drastic difference to the bowl cut and oversized vintage wear for which Tree has been known.

Tree, a musician and comedian who skyrocketed to fame after going viral with his 2017 track "When I'm Down," was among six people killed when two helicopters collided over Recreio dos Bandeirantes, in the Southwest zone of Rio de Janeiro on June 14, according to reports from multiple outlets including the Associated Press and CNN Brazil. There were no survivors.

A young Oliver Tree.

Christine Begin Nickell/Facebook

In April, the "Miss You" singer revealed he would not be leaving any of his wealth to family following his death.

"I don't believe that any of the wealth or the things that get made from it is mine. So when I die — I've set it up — my will is set up that when I pass, my family, no one's going to get a penny," Tree shared on the April 24 episode of *The Zach Sang Show*.

"If I have a wife or kids or anything, [they're] not getting a f---ing penny," he continued, explaining, "I'll get my kids through college. That's the agreement. But there's not going to be a silver spoon. They're taken care of because my dad worked on some stuff in the 2000s. The idea is, when I die, all the money is going to go back to artists."

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"I've set up a foundation. It's called Dr. Oliver Tree's Art Grants for Baby Geniuses," Tree continued, explaining that the foundation is set up to collect "the interest generated from my music."

"When I die, my art will continue to have residuals and probably be worth more than it is now. People will finally appreciate my stupid f---ing videos or my stupid f---ing songs. That's when people appreciate you, when you're not there anymore," he said. "I have basically a committee that I've set up when I pass — and I plan to do it while I'm alive — where basically everyone will vote on who the money goes to each year."

Oliver Tree performing in 2023.

Astrida Valigorsky/Getty

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According to CNN, the two helicopters were flying over an electric vehicle yard when the crash occurred. At least 20 cars were set ablaze after being struck at the crash site. Authorities have stated that an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the collision.

The other victims included passengers Lucas Vignale, Gaspar Prim (also known as Argentinian YouTuber Gaspi), and pilots Alexandre Souza and Charles Marsillac.

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Source: “EW Celebrity”