3-Year-Old Cries For Papa John's at a Michelin Star Restaurant. His Mom Explains the Viral Moment (Exclusive)
Wilds shares that Papa John's is a staple of normalcy in her family, which is always moving
The video went viral, amassing 5.9 million views on TikTokWhat people might see when they watch Dakota Wilds' video is a young child who is crying out for Papa John's. But Wilds knows there's a deeper meaning behind her son's love for the pizza.
Wilds shares that her 3-year-old son, Indy, has an obsession with Papa John's that is "clearly irreplaceable" and talks with PEOPLE about the now-viral video.
In the video, Indy is sitting at the table with a pizza in front of him, and he cries, "This isn't Papa John's!" The video went viral, amassing 5.9 million views. Wilds shares that it was "by coincidence that I was filming."
"The obsession came from his five siblings," Wilds shares. "As a one-income military family, money is tight. When we get to purchase Papa John's, the kids know it's a treat that we can't always afford. Since moving away from America, it's a nostalgic memory; ordering Papa John's and having movie night brought so much joy to our six children, something I hope they always remember."
Her family had just completed a long day of travel from Bavaria, Germany, to Florence, Italy when the video was taken.
"Indy is 3. Naturally, he was exhausted, and all eight of us just wanted to find a family-friendly pizza joint. Unbeknownst to us, we find ourselves sitting in a Michelin-star pizza joint with six kids; all eyes on us," Wilds recalls. "I started to record the rare moment that my 'unapologetically themselves family' was in such a desirable restaurant. Our typical splurge on food is ordering whatever we want from Papa John's, and all of us cuddle on the couch, indulging and watching a family movie together, so I had to document."
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After the trip, they stumbled across the video, and Wilds' older kids begged her to post it and tag Papa John's. Since then, Wilds shares that they have been in contact with the popular pizza chain following the video's attention.
"We just recently moved to Bavaria, Germany, due to my husband getting relocated with the Army. I know Papa John's is trying to coordinate something special, but it's a little challenging and takes longer with us living in Europe."
Papa John's is an essential staple of normalcy for the family, who moves and travels a lot due to Wilds' husband being in the military.
"Traveling every couple of years with the Army can be incredibly challenging for families," she continues. "Saying goodbye time and again tends to be a normal part of our lives. Something as simple as the type of food you eat, in our case Papa John's, can bring a sense of normalcy to a life of unfamiliarity."
"There is beauty in seeing the world and trying new things, but at the end of the day, certain things make you who you are, and if Papa John's brings comfort amid chaos and challenges, then I'd say we aren't doing too bad," Wilds shares.
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