How did Doug Kiker die? All about the American Idol contestant who moved Katy Perry to tears

News related to death is never a pleasant one; it's even worse if the news is of a young person. The former American Idol contestant, Doug Kiker, died at the age of just 32 on Monday, March 10, 2025, in Denver. Kiker's tragic and untimely death came as a massive shock to his family and friends, and even the millions who witnessed his performance on the show. However, the netizens are curious to find out the cause behind Kiker's unexpected death.

Nothing has been officially announced regarding what caused Doug Kiker's death as the investigation is ongoing. Sources of the law enforcement informed TMZ that Kiker was admitted to a hospital in Denver after a random pedestrian noticed him in bad shape as he had a concerning appearance. The person then called the paramedics, who took Doug to the hospital.

As we mentioned before, the investigation is still in progress, and nothing officially has been announced about what caused Kiker's death; however, as per certain reports, there were drugs found in his system, which might have caused a serious heart attack.

Doug Kiker's sister, Angela Evans, took to Facebook to share the news of her brother's demise. She confirmed Doug's death in a post she shared on Facebook on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. Angela's post about her brother, Doug, said:

"It is with a heavy heart that we have to announce the passing of my brother, Douglas Kiker. He was sooo loved and will be missed by so many! You’re singing with the Angel’s now Bubba. Please pray for our family as we go (through) this very difficult time."

Donna Kiker Carrillos-Ramirez, who is Doug's other sister, also shared an emotional post on Facebook, saying:

"We lost an amazing person today. He had the biggest smile and knew how to make you laugh. I know I didn’t raise him but I never stopped loving him. My parents did an amazing job with him. Douglas Kiker you will forever be missed. Fly high. Say hey to grandma."

Donna took the responsibility of setting up a GoFundMe (a fundraising platform) for her brother, Doug, to cover all the costs of bringing him home from Denver and all the expenses of his funeral. As she reached out to get help from people so her brother could get a proper farewell, she also mentioned that any contribution, big or small, is accepted and will directly go to the funeral cost.

Let's take a closer look at the former American Idol contestant, Doug Kiker

Doug Kiker, who was originally from Mobile, Alabama, was the father of two kids, whom he shared with Valerie Cook, his former fiancée. Kiker, who belonged to a working-class background, was a garbage collector in Alabama.

Doug instantly became popular and gained national prominence in 2020, right after his performance on American Idol, where he performed the song "Bless the Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts. His heart-touching performance not only impressed all the judges on the panel but also made Katy Perry cry a bit as she got a little emotional. One would agree it's not an easy job to make a judge cry with one's singing talent; however, Kiker managed to do so.

Doug received a golden ticket from Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan, which allowed him to go to the next stage, Hollywood Week. However, Kiker was out of luck as he was eliminated later on. Having said that, he was invited to the show's finale for a virtual performance with the Rascal Flatts. Besides receiving good feedback from the judges, Doug got a special praise from Katy Perry, as she talked about how talented he was and said:

"That was not garbage. It was greatness.