Imagine how many kids dream of being in 13-year-old Illiana Figueroa’s shoes. The Vineland resident’s 3-year-old YouTube channel “Toy Quest 101” has a massive audience. And because Illiana is an influential toy reviewer, DC Comics, Marvel and the likes send their products directly to her. Then there’s the “Toy Quest 101” co-host, who is pretty great too – it’s her dad Miguel.
Starting a channel was Miguel’s idea, but it almost didn’t happen. Knowing how much Illiana loved YouTube videos, Miguel suggested she start her own. When she said that she couldn’t because of her autism, his heart broke. That’s when they came up with the idea for Toy Quest’s mission: to empower kids with special needs through a love of toys and pop culture. Upon hitting 100K followers, “Toy Quest 101” recently earned YouTube’s silver plaque known as a Play Button.
So parents, if you’re looking for the best new toys, figurines and accessories, ask Illiana.