Youtube star MrBeast has responded after his video, which was titled “curing 1,000 blind people” received major backlash online.
Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, is a 24-year-old philanthropic YouTuber who set out to make a difference in the lives of those who suffer from blindness.
In a recent video, he stated: “They can’t see but we have all the technology to fix this.”
He went on to explain that while some forms of blindness are irreversible, a simple procedure can cure it in many cases.
“Half of all the blindness in the world is caused by people who need a 10-minute surgery,” said a doctor in the video. MrBeast then took the viewers on a journey, describing the process of the life-changing surgery.
He explained: “If you’re wondering how the surgery allows people to see again, it’s because the lens in their eyes is so cloudy that they can’t see through it. So the surgeon uses a tiny vacuum to suck up the clouded lens and replace it with an artificial one. The surgery is that simple! They can see again.”
The results of the surgery were truly heartwarming, as people were able to see for the first time in years, some even in decades.
One recipient of MrBeast’s kindness was overcome with emotion as he looked down at his wrist to see his watch for the first time. Another man exclaimed, “I can see everybody’s faces now,” before wiping away his tears.
MrBeast’s video quickly went viral, attracting 20 million views within 12 hours of being posted.
Fans of the YouTuber took to social media to praise his kindness and generosity.
One fan wrote, “Funny how Jimmy is better than 99% of politicians out there.”
Another added, “He went from giving people stuff and crazy challenges to changing people’s lives for the better. This is amazing.”
“I myself have very bad eyesight and I really understand the people you helped,” said another fan. “This is absolutely incredible and deserves a lot of respect.”
“What an incredible person you are Jimmy, you deserve all this success,” wrote another fan. Yet another added, “Hope you do more of these things for the world. Much appreciated!”
However, the star also received some backlash with many accusing him of “flaunting his wealth”. One viewer took to Twitter:
“It’s deeply frustrating to have to rely on a benevolent content king making feel-good videos, rather than addressing the root causes of these problems.”
Another said:
“You are not, & will never be, the last rich person to use their wealth to also buy them social capital, while demanding your position grants you to be worshipped by uncritical impoverished people. Youre [sic] not special, you’re literally textbook rich white man with a god complex.”
MrBeast has since responded to the negative backlash by tweeting:
Twitter – Rich people should help others with their money
Me – Okay, I’ll use my money to help people and I promise to give away all my money before I die. Every single penny.
Twitter – MrBeast bad
— MrBeast (@MrBeast) January 30, 2023
Watch the video below: