Have you ever wished you could teach your family a lesson they’d never forget? One man from Belgium took that idea to a whole new level—by faking his own death and then dramatically appearing at his own funeral. Yes, you read that right. And his grand entrance? A helicopter landing in a field near the grieving crowd.
Meet David Baerten, a 45-year-old who was feeling underappreciated by his family. Determined to make a point about the importance of staying connected, he orchestrated a stunt that was part prank, part emotional experiment. With a little help from his daughter, David broke the news of his “death” on social media.
@el.tiktokeur2 Tu nous as eu on t aime mon ami on est content que tu es parmis nous ❤️❤️#pourtoii #fyp #fypシ @Ragnar_le_fou ♬ son original – Thomas faut
His daughter’s tribute post tugged at heartstrings, writing:
“Rest in peace, Daddy. I will never stop thinking about you… You were going to be a grandfather and still had your whole life ahead of you. We love you and will never forget you.”
As expected, the announcement sent shockwaves through his friends and family, who gathered near Liège for his funeral. Grief filled the air—until a helicopter descended, revealing David, very much alive, stepping out to greet his stunned loved ones. Some ran toward him, tears turning into relief. Others weren’t so quick to forgive.
One TikTok user captured the emotional moment, including a heart-wrenching scene where a relative sobbed while hugging David. The caption read:
“You got us, buddy. I swear I was crying, and then I had the shock of my life. We love you so much.”
@el.tiktokeur2 Tu nous a eu je te le jure j etais en pleure moi et apres j ai eu le choc poto on t aime beaucoup ❤️@Ragnar_le_fou @Leclercq Philippe #fyp #pourtoii #fypシ ♬ son original – Thomas faut
But not everyone was thrilled. Critics called David’s stunt cruel, accusing him of needlessly hurting his family. On a French talk show, David admitted he regretted the emotional toll it took:
“When I started receiving messages of people crying, I wished I could stop it, but it was too late.”
So, why go to such extremes? David explained that he felt invisible, disconnected from his family, and left out of their lives:
“Nobody sees me. We all grew apart. I felt unappreciated. I wanted to show them you shouldn’t wait until someone’s gone to reconnect.”
Interestingly, the stunt had mixed results. While “only half” of his family showed up at the fake funeral, others reached out afterward, proving to him who truly cared. His wife, however, wasn’t thrilled about the plan and tried to stop him. Even his children were left in the dark for a couple of days—until the film crew insisted they be clued in.
David has since apologized, admitting:
“I’m sorry to everyone I hurt. I hate hurting people. But in the end, I just wanted to be seen.”
Love it or hate it, this bizarre story serves as a dramatic reminder: Don’t wait for a funeral to tell someone you care about them. So, who in your life deserves a surprise call—or maybe even a helicopter ride? Share this story with your friends and get the conversation started!
