A young prankster tried to convince a working father that he had stolen money from him. The joke quickly went wrong: the man, still wearing his Red Baron uniform, became the focus of widespread support instead.
After the video spread online, strangers donated more than $500,000 to help the father and his family. His employer has also publicly shown its support.
BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales said the internet can be useful, but it can also bring out people’s worst impulses. She pointed to prank videos made for clicks, including a trend where someone gets a stranger to take out a phone and then plays the Apple Pay sound to make it seem as though money was taken from their account.
“It’s just really gross,” Gonzales said, describing the prank as especially cruel when the target is a stranger whose circumstances are unknown.
In the viral video, the father angrily tells the prankster that he can’t afford his mortgage and has four children at home. Gonzales said pretending to steal from someone isn’t funny, particularly when that person may already be under financial pressure.
She said viewers were moved by the man’s situation: he was working hard to support his family and giving up time with his children to do it. The online response, she added, shows that the internet can sometimes be a force for good, too.
Gonzales said she donated to the GoFundMe, which has raised more than half a million dollars. Red Baron has also embraced the outpouring of support, posting that the employee “has a fan club,” including the company. Its post added: “Employee of the month nominations are closed. You know why.”
Gonzales said she hopes the money will let him spend more time with his children and family.
