Viral CEO who snatched US Open hat from a child admits it was a 'necessary lesson in humility'

Polish CEO Piotr Szczerek has finally apologized after footage of him snatching a signed hat from a child at the US Open went viral. He admits that he made "a serious mistake." According to the New York Post, Szczerek, who runs the paving company Drogbruk, said he thought tennis star Kamil Majchrzak was handing him the cap for his two sons when he appeared to grab it from a young fan named Brock.

"I would like to unequivocally apologize to the boy who was harmed, his family, as well as all the fans and the player himself," Szczerek wrote on a now-deleted Instagram post, adding, "I made a serious mistake. In the emotions, in the crowd’s joy after the victory, I was convinced that the tennis player was handing the cap in my direction — for my sons, who had earlier asked for autographs. It is a painful but necessary lesson in humility for me."

The video, which spread like wildfire across social media, showed the boy visibly upset as Szczerek placed the prized hat into his wife’s bag. Within hours, reviews of Drogbruk’s business pages were flooded with angry comments, and Polish job boards described him as a "sack of garbage," "common thief," and "shameful jerk," reported the New York Post. One user wrote, "Only an ordinary idiot and a jerk could snatch a hat from a child’s hands." Another added, "If the company’s president so unscrupulously stole a child’s hat, if I were a customer, I would no longer use his services. I’d be afraid he’d steal from me, too."

In his post, Szczerek stressed that neither he nor his family had spoken publicly before Monday, calling out several fake apologies that had been circulating online. He acknowledged the damage the incident caused. "For years, together with my wife, I have been involved in helping children and young athletes, but this situation showed me that one moment of carelessness can undo years of work and support," he wrote, "Therefore, I will engage even more actively in initiatives supporting children and youth, as well as in actions against violence and hate. I believe that only through deeds can I rebuild the lost trust. Once again, I apologize to everyone I have let down."

As a result of the backlash, Szczerek deactivated all of his social media accounts. Majchrzak, who confirmed that Szczerek sponsors his tennis federation in Poland, described the moment as "some kind of confusion." The tennis star explained, "I was pointing, giving the hat, but I had a lot going on after my match, after being super-tired and super-excited for the win. I just missed it. I had, like, a dead look, if you know what I mean. I’m sure the guy was also acting in the moment of heat, in the moment of emotions."

Majchrzak made sure to find the boy afterward and personally make amends. "Today, after warm-up, I had a nice meeting," he posted on Instagram with a raised-hands emoji. "Do you recognize?" He then shared a photo on his story of himself and Brock, the young fan, who was smiling as he proudly wore a new signed hat and other gifts. "Hello World, together with Brock, we wish you a great day!" he wrote.

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