Viral trend sparks debate on who we really trust in a crisis
TikTok’s latest viral trend is making users rethink their choice of emergency contacts in the most hilarious way. The #EmergencyContact trend highlights the contrast between who we think will help in a crisis and who actually steps up. From partners failing simple tasks to friends proving surprisingly reliable, the trend has taken social media by storm.
A comedic twist on reliability
In reality, an emergency contact is someone dependable—someone who can take charge in an emergency. However, TikTok users have put a humorous spin on this idea, showcasing moments where their chosen contacts prove to be anything but reliable.
The hashtag #EmergencyContact has flooded the platform, with thousands of videos capturing people’s designated contacts in unprepared, clumsy, or outright ridiculous situations. One of the most viral clips features a TikTok user’s boyfriend hesitating to catch a bug, while another shows a partner accidentally slamming his head into a block of snow. The latter video, captioned “My emergency contact,” has racked up over 80 million views.
Not everyone relates to the struggle
While many are poking fun at their partners and friends, others are using the trend to highlight just how reliable their emergency contacts are. One user humorously wrote, “Unfortunately, I can’t relate because my younger sister would summon the army, navy, air force, and search rescue team if my location was off for five minutes.”
How did the trend start?
The trend is believed to have originated from a video posted by TikTok creator Paiz on January 31. In the clip, her partner is seen repeatedly body-rolling on a medicine ball, while she jokingly captioned it, “Realizing I changed my emergency contact from my mom to this man.”
The video quickly went viral, amassing over 30 million views. “Girl, change it back… he’ll never know,” one commenter joked, while another added, “I think you need to be HIS emergency contact at this point.”
Reality takes an unexpected turn
Though the trend started as lighthearted fun, things took a serious turn when Paiz shared a photo from a car accident just a week later. Using humor to cope, she captioned it, “Me when I had to use my emergency contact this morning.” Despite initially questioning her decision, she later reassured viewers that her partner “came through when it really mattered.”
Celebrities join the trend
Since Paiz’s video, the trend has exploded, with over 60,000 people participating under the hashtag #EmergencyContact. Even celebrities have joined in, including actress Jessica Biel, who revealed her emergency contact—her husband, Justin Timberlake—while he hilariously performed a robotic dance in costume.
Olympic gymnast Simone Biles also took part, sharing a clip of her husband, Jonathan Owens, dancing. She jokingly added, “I’ll probably still call my dad first.”
The #EmergencyContact trend continues to entertain, proving that when it comes to emergencies, choosing the right person might just be a gamble.
