Windsor boy gets surprise of a lifetime from local TikTok star
A 10-year-old Windsor boy who recently lost his father and grandmother got a surprise visit and special gift from Windsor’s most popular social media influencer, Zachery Dereniowski.
The interaction was filmed over a few days and posted to social media under Dereniowski’s online moniker, MD Motivator.
In one of the videos, he meets with Dougie Hannan, whose father passed away in August and then his grandmother in December.
“When my dad passed, we didn’t get that much money,” said Dougie.
“You lost your dad recently?” asked Dereniowski.
“Yea, and my grandma. It’s just a normal occasion, everybody dies sometimes.”
Dereniowski was touched by Dougie’s story and surprised him with a new basketball, a basketball net, tickets to a Detroit Pistons game and $500 cash.
“My dream is to be like a basketball player,” said Dougie before seeing the gifts.
Dougie told Dereniowski that he’s going to give the $500 to his mom so the family can buy groceries.
But the 10-year-old doesn’t have a passport and couldn’t accept the tickets for the Pistons game.
A week later Dereniowski showed up at Dougie’s school with an even bigger surprise.
“What would you do if i told you your mom doesn’t have to buy groceries for 3 years?” he said in the video, which has been viewed online more than 25 million times.
Dereniowski handed him a letter with $30,000 which he crowd-funded from strangers on Go-Fund-Me.
But it didn’t stop there.
“Open this, you ever been on a plane before?” Dereniowski asks Dougie, which which he responds no. “You’re flying tomorrow to Toronto!”
Dougie, along with his mom and Dereniowski, flew to Toronto shortly after, to watch the game, meet players beforehand and get a signed basketball.
Dougie soaked the moment in, quipping “This is the best day ever!”
After the video went viral, Dougie became an overnight celebrity at his grade school.
Despite his recent struggles, he’s grateful his story is helping others.
“It makes me happy because I'm putting smiles on people's faces,” Dougie said. “I'm making them feel like I'm there helping them through like if they have troubled times.”
And Derenioswki is just happy his videos promote kindness, get a conversation going between people about what hurts in life and inspire others to take action.
“To make it a better experience to share is beyond meaningful,” Dereniowski said. “It's more important than the money and just as important as the experience that he had going to Toronto that day.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Air France flight from Paris to Seattle lands in Iqaluit after heat smell in cabin
A plane travelling from Paris to Seattle was forced to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit after there was a heat smell in the cabin during the flight.