Father Asks the Internet for Help Accessing His Dead Son's Facebook "Look Back" Video, the Internet Delivers

John Berlin turned to YouTube in an attempt to make a viral video that would help reach Mark Zuckerberg

By John Boone Feb 10, 2014 5:30 PMTags

"You ever do something crazy because you just don't know what to do anymore?" John Berlin asks. "Well that's what I'm doing right now."

John is a father from St. Louis, Mo. and, in the video, he breaks down into tears as he explains that his son, Jesse, passed away in 2012 and his family wants is watch Jesse's Facebook "Look Back" video (a one-minute montage that Facebook users can access to celebrate the site's 10 year anniversary). But so far, they haven't been able to access it.

"Everyone does these videos and things and they go viral, that's all I'm trying to do," John says. "So I'm asking my friends to share this video and your friends to share it and so on and so forth and maybe somebody will see it that counts. I know it's a shot in the dark, but I don't care."

Proving that the Internet can be magical, the video went viral (thanks to Reddit, who went so far as to offer to hack Facebook for him) and eventually made it's way to Facebook, who then reached out to John.

"It worked I was just contacted by FB by phone and there [sic] going to make a vid just for us," he posted on his Facebook. "They also said they're going to look at how they can better help families who have lost loved ones. Ty friends and to FB." 

On YouTube John explained

The response is overwhelming. We just wanted to see a 1 minute vid. Were going to get that vid...I want to thank everyone, for your support. I didn't know what to expect from this but it was worth a try. My son was 21 and died of natural causes...He is proof that there are no guarantees in life. Hug your children kiss them. Tell them you love them every single day.

RightThisMinute.com spoke with John, who spoke about his son saying, "Jessie was a great guy. And when I tell you we never fought as a father and son, I mean every word of that."

UPDATE: Here is Jesse's "Look Back" video. John told RightThisMinute.com that watch the video "was exciting. It was emotional, I'll say that too." One of Jesse's friends added that, "It captured him perfectly."

(Originally published February 6, 2015, at 11:06 a.m. PT)