"A joke in very bad taste." This is how the stepson of "Ragnar the Madman", the man who faked his death only to reappear at his own funeral by helicopter, reacted to the tiktoker's frame-up. And he is not the only one to think so, as social networks have been flooded with messages denouncing the "prank" of the Belgian, father.
There's a guy called "Ragnar the Madman" who faked his own death to everyone, including his kids and wife, and then the guy arrives at his funeral by helicopter for "an experiment."
Social networks have screwed up the human. pic.twitter.com/yttUSaXilp
— Seb (@seblatombe) June 12, 2023
It all began when, on June 8, 2023, the death of David Baerten, nicknamed "Ragnar the Mad", was announced on social networks. "Rest in peace dad, I can't believe it, why life is so unfair, why you!" posted his daughter Malo on his Facebook page. Many fans also paid tribute to him in the days that followed. On his TikTok account, a video of his coffin is posted with the caption: "I'm living the worst days of my life, I love you my love".
The funeral of "Ragnar the Mad" is scheduled for Sunday, June 11. Relatives and family members go there. But during the ceremony, a video is projected with a speech by the tiktoker. "Hi everyone, welcome to my funeral," said the Belgian with a smile on his face. And then, a few minutes later, a helicopter lands in a field with the fake deceased on board. All in front of stunned and shocked relatives.
"You have to love people when they are alive"
These images quickly made the rounds of social networks, and have, for the most part, aroused misunderstanding and indignation. Invited on the set of Touche pas à mon poste Monday night, "Ragnar le fou" wanted to explain the reasons for this staging.
"I want to give a life lesson, you have to love people when they are alive," says the tiktoker. David Baerten explains that he feels alone, isolated, distant from his family and loved ones. "Only a tenth of my family was present at my funeral," he says. "Now they contact me again, telling me we understand the meaning of your video now, I don't want to let you go, we didn't know you were so hurt inside... »
"I am convinced of what I have done"
A man fakes his death to surprise his funeral: In the midst of an outcry, he speaks! #TPMP pic.twitter.com/nCkPw0Qj8P
— TPMP (@TPMP) June 12, 2023
And what about the repercussions that this fake death may have had on his loved ones? "They don't blame me, they didn't believe me," he said. His children were informed only a day after the announcement of his false death, according to his account. Only his wife was aware of this staging project from the beginning of its implementation.
"Ragnar the Fool" considers to have succeeded in his coup. "Thanks to my death simulation, I am invited everywhere in my family. I found a lot of people. I only look at the positive," he told Belgian radio station RTBF. Given the reactions to his video, he is the only one.