A TikToker is sharing her grief with followers after her boyfriend died earlier this year. In a viral video, she showed a chain of messages she sent her boyfriend’s phone number after his death—until the texts were no longer delivered.
Samantha Rhodes (@samantharhodes42) posted the TikTok on April 4, which shows her scrolling through her text thread with her late boyfriend, Austyn, who died on Jan. 4. The actual contents of the texts are blurred out, but the screen recording shows paragraphs and photos that Rhodes sent to Austyn.
Text overlay on the video reads, “POV: you text your bf that died until the texts turned green.” For iPhone users, text bubbles deliver as blue when the receiver is another iPhone user and the number is in service. If the bubbles turn green, it means that the number is no longer in service or the sender has been blocked.
The end of the screen recording shows the text bubbles from Rhodes turning green with a “not delivered” notification; eventually, she is no longer able to send texts as a message from Austyn’s former number. An automated message says, “You have been blocked from originating messages to [the number]”
The video has over 13 million views and 2.2 million likes, with users offering their condolences and applauding Rhodes’ strength in documenting her grieving process. Some also criticized the new owner of the number for blocking Rhodes.
“How could someone see these messages coming through and block the number?” one commenter asked. “I’d just mute the thread and let them keep messaging.”
“Why would they block you they can just mute the messages,” another said.
Others shared their own experience of grieving the death of a partner.
“My husband died three years ago. I still pay for this phone service so everyone can text his phone still,” one user wrote.
“I did this and one guy called me back and talked to me for 3 hours and let me cry it out. He was so kind,” another said.
“I text my husband’s phone… it’s been a year,” a third commented.
Austyn’s mother also commented, “My son loved you more than anything. He would be so proud of you and [the] strength that you have shown through this. We love you.”
Rhodes replied, “I love you guys so much. I miss him more than anything. He looked up to you.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Rhodes via TikTok comment.
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