Son told dad he needed help for a 'scholarship' video but honored his foster care journey instead

Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of substance abuse that some readers may find distressing.

Skylar Westerdahl asked his father to sit beside him while he filmed a video for a scholarship. His dad agreed, oblivious to the mischief master plan he'd ingeniously crafted to capture his reaction to his fake confession. His husband, Eli McCann (@eliwmccann), posted the video on Instagram on November 6, receiving over 2 million views online. "Hey there! Thank you so much for considering me for the scholarship," Westerdahl began before revealing that the person who'd inspired him the most was no one else but his dad. He went on to express how his father had supported him in his life and that he wouldn't be able to survive without him. Then came the pincher as Westerdahl went on to narrate a false background of his father — one full of struggle and hardship. 

He said his father was orphaned at the age of 8, and then he entered the foster care system. He went on and on with his fake narrative, talking about how his dad got addicted to narcotics as a teenager before finally being adopted by a family that gave him the love he'd always wanted and eventually helped him quit the substances. From then on, he flourished in life. As Westerdahl was narrating this, his dad sat in the background with a serious expression, playing along, trying to do his best to help his son land a scholarship. But as soon as Westerdahl mentioned that he'd completed college while working as a professional dancer, Westerdahl's dad broke into wheezing laughter. "Dance was important for him to overcome his past traumas," Westerdahl said as his face began to contort in laughter, joining his dad. However, he did power through and concluded by saying that his dad had completed his degree in medicine and now treats people engaging in substance abuse."

More often than not, kids are scared of their parents and can't really joke around with them, unlike this gentleman. Being friends with kids can actually be a great parenting tool, and it's not a random notion. In fact, research by Penn State University found that parents who use humor have better relationships with their children. They surveyed 312 people between the ages of 18 and 45, and 71.8% agreed that humor can be an effective parenting tool.

Meanwhile, reacting to the prank video, @aimeebrand54 commented, "He listened to his list of struggles and was like 'yep, that’s me’ and only broke character when the dancing came up." @mochibear0116 wrote, "This cracks me up. He was okay being a meth addict, but what made him crack was being a professional dancer." @brittneyhoppertv said, "This is both so wholesome, funny, and amazing at the same time!" @intimacygoddess joked, "He looks like a hostage in the background!" @loveless_evol shared, "I tried this trend, but I got side whopped in the head before I could finish. Some parents don’t want you to play on their name, so good for you with your pops."

You can follow Eli McCann (@eliwmccann) on Instagram for lifestyle content.

For substance abuse treatment and mental health referrals, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

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