A Belgian TikToker, David Baerten, has captured global attention after staging his own death and surprising mourners by showing up at his own funeral in a helicopter.
The 45-year-old content creator orchestrated the elaborate prank with the help of his family members, aiming to “teach them a lesson” and test their true feelings towards him.
The incident, which went viral after being shared in a video, unfolded when Baerten’s daughter initially announced and mourned her father’s passing on social media. She wrote a heartfelt message, expressing her grief and lamenting the unfairness of life, stating that her father had his whole life ahead of him and was going to be a grandfather
During the fake funeral held near the city of Liege over the weekend, Baerten made a grand entrance on a helicopter, leaving the mourners utterly surprised. The congregants had mixed reactions, with some of Baerten’s close family members rushing to greet him, while others watched in astonishment.
After the initial shock wore off, Baerten explained the motive behind his staged death, expressing his disappointment that his family had grown apart and he often felt unappreciated.
He revealed, “What I see in my family often hurts me, I never get invited to anything. Nobody sees me. We all grew apart. I felt unappreciated.” Baerten further added that he wanted to give his family a life lesson, showing them that they shouldn’t wait until someone is dead to value their presence.
The video clip depicted mourners, some dressed in black, embracing Baerten while others observed with dismay. Baerten, known by his TikTok handle @ragnar_le_fouthe, boasts over 160,000 followers on the platform. His stunt has ignited a wave of mixed reactions from viewers worldwide.
Baerten’s wife and children were aware of the prank and actively participated in its execution. However, Baerten has yet to release the full video of his helicopter arrival at the funeral. A short clip shared by his close friend and fellow TikToker, Thomas Faut, showed Baerten landing in a field before being greeted by stunned mourners. Baerten raised a toast, saying, “Cheers to you all, welcome to my funeral.”
Following the incident, Thomas expressed his emotions, saying, “I swear I was crying and then I had the shock, buddy. We love you very much. You had us. We love you, my friend. We are happy you are still among us.”
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Baerten revealed that only half of his family members attended the funeral, but since then, other loved ones have reached out to him. He stated, “That proves who really cares about me. Those who didn’t come have contacted me to meet up. So in a way, I did win.”
While some viewers criticized Baerten’s prank, expressing concern about the potential health risks it posed, others acknowledged the underlying message he aimed to convey about the importance of cherishing loved ones while they are alive. The incident sparked a discussion about the dynamics of family relationships and the significance of staying connected.
After the video went viral, Baerten shared his future plans, stating that he had been working on this project for over a year and intends to make a film about it. He expressed his gratitude to the cameramen who filmed the event, helping to create a worldwide buzz that will be utilized to promote his upcoming report and future film projects, should he find a producer.
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