WASHINGTON, June 18 — A father’s love and determination have taken the internet by storm, as Bo Petterson, a 67-year-old man, shares “dad advice” on TikTok with his daughter Emily Petterson, who has been battling a traumatic brain injury and cancer.
Under the hood of their viral videos, which have garnered 4.6 million followers, lies a story of hope and resilience, as the Pettersons use social media to cope with the challenges they face, including Emily’s debilitating pain and depression, which made it impossible for her to continue her normal life. She was laid off and then got cancer, a devastating turn of events that tested her faith in humanity, but her father’s presence on TikTok has been a game-changer, providing a much-needed distraction and a sense of purpose.
As ever, the detail that matters is the human connection, and in this case, it’s the bond between Bo and Emily Petterson, which has been strengthened by their TikTok videos, with Emily saying, “My dad, he is a very shy guy, he’s not really the type of guy you would think would be in this position,” and Bo Petterson acknowledging the difficulties of watching his daughter suffer, saying, “The depression that she was in, and the pain, of course, it was tough to watch that, as a parent, because there’s nothing, really, that you can do.” The reality of their situation is that Emily has tried several treatments, most of them painful, with long recovery windows and lackluster results, leading to a sharp rise in sadness and desperation, but her father’s videos have restored her faith in humanity, and as she says, “I just started getting sadder and sadder, being out here and not having successful treatments, it started to feel like, what am I living for, you know?
I don’t have friends, I can’t work.” Bo Petterson’s decision to start making videos with his daughter has been a turning point, providing a sense of purpose and hope, and as Emily says, “She needed something,” and Bo Petterson said, “She needed something.” He also said, “The world needed him” is not said by Bo, but Emily says her dad is shy and he is in a position he wouldn’t normally be in. Consult your doctor for medical advice.
