If you were anywhere near the LGBTQ+ side of YouTube or Instagram back in 2017, you couldn't escape them. Dylan Geick and Jackson Krecioch were the blueprint. Before "shipping" became a corporate marketing strategy, these two were just... it. They were young, incredibly photogenic, and apparently very much in love, which was enough to build a massive digital empire almost overnight.
But then the grid posts stopped. The "Jylan" hashtags started feeling like ghosts.
Honestly, the way their relationship collapsed—and rebuilt, and collapsed again—says a lot more about the pressure of growing up in a glass house than it does about their actual feelings for each other. People still search for them today because their story wasn't just a tabloid headline. It was a weirdly specific moment in internet history where an elite college wrestler and a rising pop-artist influencer tried to be the "perfect" couple while their lives were heading in completely different directions.
The DM That Changed Everything
It started with a ignored message. Jackson, already a major face on TikTok (then Musical.ly), reached out to Dylan after a mutual friend suggested they’d hit it off.
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Dylan ignored him. For six months.
Eventually, they met up in Los Angeles, and the connection was instant. At the time, Dylan Geick was a high school wrestling star in Illinois who had just made waves by coming out as gay in a sport that isn’t exactly known for its progressive vibes. He wasn't just a "social media guy"—he was a legitimately ranked athlete headed to Columbia University. Jackson was the creative, the musician, the one who lived and breathed the influencer lifestyle.
Their relationship went viral because of the contrast. You had the jock and the artist. It was a real-life teen drama playing out in 15-second clips and curated Instagram stories. By the time they were "official," they were arguably the most famous gay couple on the internet.
Why the Breakup Actually Stuck
The first split happened in mid-2018. It felt like a glitch in the Matrix for their fans. They tried to do the whole "we're still best friends" thing, which lasted until it didn't. They actually got back together in 2019, but that reunion was basically a sunset cruise—pretty to look at, but everyone knew the day was ending.
So, what went wrong?
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It wasn't some scandalous cheating drama or a secret feud. It was life. Dylan was trying to balance Ivy League wrestling at Columbia with a sudden, massive influx of fame. In interviews later on, like with V Magazine, Dylan talked about how the influencer lifestyle felt hollow. He didn't just want to be "Jackson's boyfriend" or a "gay wrestler." He wanted to be a writer.
Jackson, meanwhile, was leaning into the Hollywood life. He was traveling, working on music, and dealing with his own personal growth under a microscope. When you’re 19 and 20 years old, your personality is still a wet slab of clay. Trying to mold that while millions of people are watching—and judging—is a recipe for burnout. They finally called it quits for good by the end of 2019.
Life After "Jylan"
Dylan Geick did the most un-influencer thing possible: he joined the U.S. Army.
While other creators were chasing brand deals for vitamin gummies, Dylan was sleeping in barracks and writing poetry by the light of a red headlamp. He released a collection called Early Works and followed it up with I Have Been Bleeding in 2022. He stopped being a "content creator" and started being a person who creates content with actual weight. He’s spent the last few years leaning into his identity as a writer and a "wanderer," even doing a massive trek across the U.S. that felt more like a soul-searching mission than a vlog opportunity.
Jackson Krecioch didn't vanish either. He’s stayed in the creative lane, focusing on his art and music. If you look at his social media now—into 2025 and 2026—he’s much more guarded. He still posts, he still travels (the Greece trip in 2023 was a big one for his "rebrand"), but the raw, "here is every second of my relationship" vibe is gone.
The Lasting Impact
People still ask if they're friends. The short answer? Yes, mostly. They’ve moved into that space where they acknowledge what they had was huge, but they’re not trying to recreate it.
The Dylan Geick and Jackson Krecioch era was a catalyst. It showed the NCAA that gay athletes could have massive commercial power—Dylan actually consulted with the NCAA on their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) policies because he was one of the first athletes to navigate that minefield.
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They weren't just a couple; they were a case study in how the internet can accelerate a relationship to 100 mph and then leave you to pick up the pieces when the engine blows.
What you can take away from their story:
- Growth isn't linear: You can be a wrestler, then a YouTuber, then a soldier, then a poet. Don't let a "brand" box you in.
- Privacy is a currency: The more you give away for free, the less you have for yourself when things get hard.
- Labels change: Dylan eventually moved from "gay" to "queer," reflecting a more nuanced understanding of himself. It’s okay to outgrow your old definitions.
If you’re looking to follow their current work, check out Dylan’s latest poetry or Jackson’s updated art portfolios. They’ve both moved far beyond the "Jylan" tag, proving that there is definitely life after a viral breakup.
Next Steps for You:
- Read Dylan Geick's Poetry: Grab a copy of I Have Been Bleeding to see the transition from athlete to soldier-poet.
- Audit Your Own Social Footprint: If you're a creator, look at how much of your personal life you're monetizing and consider if that's sustainable for the long term.
- Support LGBTQ+ Athletes: Follow current out athletes in the NCAA who are using their NIL rights to pave the way for more representation in sports.