Vernon Cokemore, aka South Africa's Chuck Norris, was setting the internet on fire even before he became a viral sensation.
Kathy Booys, who quickly rose to fame as internet sensation Vernon Cokemore, passed away at her home in Benoni on Wednesday, August 14, aged 67.
Like iconic “alpha males” (think US actor Chuck Norris or Kenya's Makmende), Vernon has inspired numerous memes, parody films, T-shirts and websites since photos of the muscular, mullet-haired man at an H2O rave party in Boksburg went viral in 2008.
Vernon Cokemore's Crazy
Following his sighting at the H2O event, Vernon Cokemore, then 51, quickly gained a cult following, without even realising it.
April 2008, Star Vernon Cokemore published an article revealing that her real name is Kathy Booys, and that she was unaware of her internet fame, let alone the existence of Facebook, until a colleague showed her “over 400 Photoshopped images of herself.”
- If you want to take a leisurely scroll down memory lane, check out the authentic collection of Vernon Koekemoer memes at Know Your Meme.
“He's like a mix between Chuck Norris and David Hasselhoff.”
He became a popular figure on the Gauteng party scene and even released a mix CD of dance music. Vernon Cokemore: The Electro Killers (bringing Ou back to Electro).
In 2009, “Vernon Cokemore” was listed by Urban Dictionary as “the latest internet celebrity and international tough guy.”
“He is the new Chuck Norris and David Hasselhoff rolled into one,” the inscription reads, before continuing:
Vernon Cokemore's calendar runs straight from March 31 to April 2. No one can fool Vernon Cokemore.
WATCH: Nando's advert featuring Vernon Cokemore and Chuck Norris
In their heyday, Vee saw action in Nando's adverts, complete with a cameo from the legendary Chuck Norris himself.
In an interview FHMThe humble boy from Benoni confessed that he actually likes the name Vernon Corkmore and the fact that his “alter ego” is clearly making people happy.
Health problems
Several botched hip surgeries over the past few years have left the beefy bodybuilder a mere shadow of his former self.
Vernon's health problems began in 2018, Good Things GuyThat was when I started to feel pain in my right hip due to advanced arthritis.
With no medical assistance available, he had no option but to undergo hip replacement surgery at Tambo Memorial Hospital in January 2019.
Maroela Media It was previously reported that his partner and fiancée of 11 years, Linda Coetzee, had blamed doctors at the state hospital, who she said admitted he had inserted the wrong prosthesis during the first operation.
After a second hip operation, Vernon's teeth began to fall out and he was in extreme pain, so Coetzee shocked and amazed him by pulling a foot of string through Vernon's wound, which was left after the operation.
As drainage from the wound worsened and he was in increasing pain, Vernon requested a third operation, which he underwent in February 2022.
Linda, who was with him in his final moments this week, News 24 Due to Vernon's health problems, the couple never had the chance to officially marry.
“I was on his side,” she told the magazine.
“He was a wonderful man.”
“He underwent multiple hip replacement surgeries and never fully recovered,” Coetzee added.
She said the medication and painkillers she was taking after her hip replacement surgery had affected her stomach.
Coetzee said. Good Things Guy He suspects he may have developed stomach cancer, as the symptoms have been present for several months.
However, due to his previous illness, he unfortunately refused to go to the hospital.
Coetzee wants people to remember him as a legend.
He was a wonderful man, a very generous man.
“I loved him very much and I will miss him,” she added.
H2O Party pays tribute to Vernon Koekemoa
H2O sent their condolences to the family and paid tribute to the “person, legend and myth” that was Vernon Corkmore on their Facebook page.
“His long-term partner, Linda, contacted us yesterday to let us know that he had been suffering from gastrointestinal problems and had been very ill for the past three months. He had refused to go to hospital due to previous traumatic experiences,” the statement read.
“Rest in peace Cassie. We will always remember you on the dance floor. May you find eternal peace where no pain or sorrow can reach you.”
