A heartbreaking prank leaves 8-year-old, hearing-impaired boy Gabe Lyles devastated after being tricked by individuals impersonating YouTube’s MrBeast, as MrBeast himself steps in to offer support.
Who pranked the eight-year-old?
On July 1, Gabe Lyles and his father, TJ, fell victim to a cruel prank by two people who falsely claimed to be related to YouTuber MrBeast. The incident happened during a visit to their local Target store in Southington, Connecticut. Two pranksters approached the father-son duo and invited them to participate in a prize challenge. Being a huge fan of MrBeast, eight-year-old Gabe was delighted at the opportunity.
Tragically, the prank quickly turned bad when the two men blindfolded TJ and Gabe and abruptly fled the scene, leaving the pair heartbroken and betrayed. The fact that Gabe is hard of hearing only added to the cruelty of the joke, as the men allegedly cited his disability as the reason for his selection.
However, there was a silver lining in the midst of the disappointment. The City of Southington Commission on Persons with Disabilities stepped in and offered support. They generously donated a $200 gift card to Gabe, and Target matched the donation, allowing Gabe to enjoy some happy shopping the next day. The kind gesture brought much-needed happiness into the boy’s life.
The incident garnered significant attention within the online community, with many expressing their outrage and sympathy for Gabe and his father. Even MrBeast himself took notice of the situation after word spread. The support and recognition from the local community and YouTubers helped bring some positivity to an otherwise upsetting event.
YouTube pranks for 8 years
TJ Lyles II and his 8-year-old son, Gabe, visited a Target store in Southington, Connecticut, expecting to do some shopping. However, they were approached by three strangers who, as part of a joke, offered them the “challenge of filling a cart”. The challenge involved being blindfolded and given 30 seconds to fill a basket with items, with the promise that strangers would pay for everything inside.
Gabe, who has hearing loss and is a fan of popular YouTuber MrBeast, was excited about the opportunity to participate. During the discussion of the challenge, Gabe mentioned his partial deafness, to which the strangers responded that they were looking for someone like him.
To verify the legitimacy of the challenge, Lyles asked a Target employee who could not confirm it. Despite his misgivings, Lyles agreed to participate to satisfy his son’s excitement. However, after only 10 seconds of the challenge, the three men abruptly run away, leaving Lyles and Gabe blindfolded and realizing they’ve been tricked.
Gabe was left shocked and humiliated, bursting into tears as Lyles comforted him. Outraged by the incident, Lyles shared the story on Facebook and condemned the individuals who targeted children with special needs. Melissa Lapila Hallgren, chairwoman of the city’s Commission on Persons with Disabilities, came across the post and reached out to Lyles to offer help.
Lapila Hallgren mobilized the committee and they voted to allocate funds to help Gabe. With another trustee, Lapila Hallgren visited a Target store and asked that the company match their $200 donation. Target agreed and expressed its pleasure to help Gabe. When Lyles heard the news, he was overcome with gratitude.
Lapila Hallgren wasted no time arranging Gabe’s $400 shopping spree the next day. Gabe, an only child, was overjoyed and filled his stroller with toys, games and stuffed animals. Lyles was moved to tears by the generosity shown by the commission and Target.
After the story gained attention on the local news, one of the pranksters posted a YouTube video of the prank, which Lyles believed was edited to exclude references to Gabe’s disability and the claim that he was working for MrBeast. The prankster denied altering the video when contacted by The Washington Post. While MrBeast did not respond to a request for comment, Lyles mentioned that representatives of the YouTuber’s team have reached out to his family.
Despite the trouble the prank caused, Lyles saw it as a valuable lesson for his son about things that seem too good to be true. He also acknowledged the kindness and generosity shown by the committee and hoped the story would inspire others to do good deeds for those in need.
Mr. Beast wants to make contact with the 8-year-old
After an eight-year-old fan named Gabe Lyles was pranked by two men pretending to work with YouTube star MrBeast, the philanthropic internet celebrity stepped in to make things right himself. The incident occurred when Gabe and his father were shopping at a Target store in Connecticut when two men approached them.
Claiming to be related to MrBeast, the men invited Gabe and his father to participate in a video for the YouTube channel. They proposed a “cart-loading challenge” in which they would be blindfolded and given 30 seconds to fill a cart with items, with the promise that the men would pay for the selected items. Believing in the popularity of MrBeast, known for his generosity and giving, Gabe and his father agreed to take part in the challenge.
Gabe’s father, TJ Lyles, informed him that he must have been chosen because of his hearing impairment, as MrBeast’s videos often emphasize inclusivity and helping those in need. However, as soon as the blindfolds were put on, TJ and Gabe heard the men running away, realizing it was a cruel prank. Gabe, who was excited and believed his dreams were coming true, was left heartbroken by the deception.
After hearing about the incident, MrBeast took to Twitter, expressing his desire to find the young fan and make amends. He asked the public for Gabe’s information and within an hour, several people responded, linking MrBeast to TJ Lyles’ Facebook profile.
While it’s unclear what MrBeast intends to do after contacting Gabe and his father, his involvement brought hope and excitement to the situation. Prior to MrBeast’s intervention, Gabe’s City Commission for the Disabled had already given him a $200 Target gift card, which the store matched. This allowed Gabe to finally enjoy his coveted purchase, as reported by WFSB, the local news outlet covering the story.
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Categories: General
Source: HIS Education