Early Life
MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson) was born on May 7, 1998, in Wichita, Kansas, USA. His mother, Susan, worked in the U.S. military, and he grew up with an older brother, CJ, and a younger sister. When he was young, his family moved often. They finally settled in Greenville, North Carolina, where Jimmy spent most of his childhood.
He went to Greenville Christian Academy and finished high school in 2016. For a short time, he attended East Carolina University, but left to focus on YouTube.
Starting on YouTube
Jimmy started his YouTube channel in 2012, at the age of 13, using the name MrBeast6000. His first videos were simple:
-
Playing games like Minecraft and Call of Duty
-
Talking about how much money other YouTubers might earn
-
Doing funny or silly tasks, like counting to 100,000
But in 2017, something big happened: Jimmy made a video where he counted all the way to 100,000. It took almost 40 hours, and this video became very popular. After this, he decided to make bigger videos with real money prizes and challenges.
Rise to Fame
From 2017 onward, MrBeast became famous for his:
-
Crazy challenges: Like keeping underwater or spinning a fidget spinner for a whole day
-
Giving away money: He often gave money away to people in his videos
By 2018, he had given away more than $1 million to others. He even helped PewDiePie in the subscriber battle with T-Series by buying ads and billboards.
A Huge YouTube Reach
Jimmy’s channel, MrBeast, now has over 408 million subscribers on YouTube, making it the most-subscribed channel in the world (June 2025). He also has many other channels:
-
MrBeast Gaming
-
Beast Philanthropy (for charity)
-
Beast Reacts and MrBeast Shorts
His videos have been viewed over 87 billion times .
Charity and Helping Others
Jimmy has done many big charity projects:
-
Beast Philanthropy
-
He started this channel in 2020
-
100% of the money from ads, merch, and brand deals goes to charity
-
Projects include giving out 10,000 turkeys, donating 20,000 shoes, building 100 wells, and helping people get surgeries to see, hear, or walk again
-
-
Team Trees
-
In 2019, Jimmy and engineer Mark Rober launched it
-
They raised $20 million to plant trees
-
-
Team Seas
-
A fundraiser in 2021 to clean oceans
-
They raised over $33.7 million
-
Business Ventures
MrBeast is not only a YouTuber—he’s also a businessman:
a) MrBeast Burger
-
Started in November 2020
-
First pop-up in Wilson, North Carolina
-
Extra profits go to hunger charities
b) Feastables
-
A chocolate and snack brand from July 2021
-
Sold in many countries like the US, India, Canada, UK, Australia, and more
c) Beast Games
-
A reality show on Amazon Prime Video
-
Made for over $100 million
-
Continued for more seasons in 2025
Money and Wealth
-
In 2024, Jimmy earned $85 million, mostly from YouTube and brand deals
-
By 2025, his net worth reached $1 billion, according to multiple reports
-
But he spends most of his money on videos—around $250 million a year
-
Despite being a billionaire, he keeps only a little cash for himself and even said he borrowed money from his mother for his wedding
Personal Life
-
Jimmy is 27 years old (as of 2025)
-
He is engaged to Thea Booysen, a YouTuber, since 2022 He lives modestly in Greenville, NC—he even lives and works in a small apartment with no separate bedroom
-
He and Thea had a private $500,000 date night at Disneyland, showing how special they keep their important moments
Summary of Major Facts
Fact | Detail |
---|---|
Name | James Stephen “Jimmy” Donaldson |
Born | May 7, 1998, Wichita, Kansas |
Grew up | Greenville, North Carolina |
YouTube Start | 2012, at age 13 |
Breakthrough Video | Counting to 100,000 in 2017 |
Subscribers | 408 million (by June 2025) |
Net Worth | $1 billion (2025) |
Annual Income | $85 million (2024) |
Business Ventures | Beast Philanthropy, Burger, Feastables, Beast Games |
Charity | Team Trees, Team Seas, and more |
Personal Life | Lives modestly, engaged to Thea Booysen |
Conclusion
MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson) is a remarkable example of how someone can start small and grow huge by working smart, being creative, and caring for others. He began with simple game videos at 13, but grew into the world’s most-subscribed YouTuber and a philanthropic leader. He uses his money to entertain, help people, and protect nature. Even while a billionaire, he lives simply and gives generously. His story shows that power and success can go hand-in-hand with kindness and humility.
🌍✨ Discover the legendary explorer Vasco da Gama! 🚢🌊 #ExploreHistory