RAYNHAM, MASS. (WHDH) - The human-sized jug of Kool-Aid known as the Kool-Aid Man has been a staple in the drink mix company’s commercials for years, bursting through walls and fences in various advertisements.
Now, though, some TikTok users are copying the Kool-Aid Man, causing a major headache for one Raynham homeowner.
“I was puzzled,” said Jodee Viola. “I’ve seen some strange things on TikTok, though. So it didn’t shock me.”
Viola spoke with 7NEWS, showing planks from her backyard fence spread over her yard.
At first, she said she thought the damage was the work of a wild animal. Then, Viola’s neighbors showed her video of a group of five people next to her house throwing themselves through parts of the fence.
“We have had bear sightings in Raynham, Bridgewater and Middleboro, so it wasn’t far-fetched,” Viola said of her initial thoughts.
“When I watched the video, I couldn’t believe how easily they really broke through,” she said. “They did throw their body weight into it but they flew across the yard.”
This is not a new problem. Across the country, police departments have posted surveillance videos and online warnings, spreading awareness about “the Kool-Aid Man Challenge.”
Homeowners like Viola have been left to foot the bill.
“We put a Band-Aid on it for now,” Viola said. “But we are definitely going to have to have somebody come out and professionally replace the pieces.”
After her fence was damaged, Viola also had a message to those thinking about trying the Kool-Aid Man Challenge out for themselves.
“Find something else stupid to do,” she said.
7NEWS on Friday spoke to another person who lives close to Viola who said his fence was also recently damaged.
Local police did not immediately respond to a request for information on the number of recent incidents of destroyed fences and property in the area.
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