How would you react if you found out that your loved one was not really dead, but had staged their own funeral as a prank? That’s what happened to dozens of people who attended the memorial service of David Baerten, a Belgian TikToker who wanted to teach his family a life lesson.
Baerten, who goes by the username @ragnar_le_fou, had his wife and children help him spread the fake news of his death on social media. His daughter wrote a heartfelt tribute to her father, saying he was going to be a grandfather and had his whole life ahead of him. Many friends and relatives expressed their condolences and agreed to attend the funeral near the city of Liege last weekend.
However, instead of seeing a hearse and a coffin, the mourners were shocked to witness a black helicopter landing in a nearby field. Out came Baerten, along with a camera crew, who greeted his stunned guests with “Cheers to you all, welcome to my funeral” . Some people ran to hug him, relieved that he was alive, while others stayed in the parking lot, confused and angry.
Baerten explained that he did this because he felt unappreciated by his family, who never invited him to anything and grew apart from him. He said he wanted to show them that they shouldn’t wait until someone is dead to meet up with them. He also claimed that some people who didn’t come to the funeral contacted him later to reconnect, which proved who really cared about him.
The prank has divided opinions on TikTok, where Baerten has nearly 165,000 followers. Some people praised his bold move and said it was a wake-up call for his family. Others criticized him for playing with death and hurting the feelings of those who genuinely mourned him. One commenter wrote: “You don’t play with death, I lost my husband, and it’s hard to live through the loss of someone you love. I’m shocked”.
What do you think of Baerten’s stunt? Was it a clever way to bring his family closer or a cruel joke that went too far?
