You have to see this! Local woman and her Down syndrome uncle go viral in heartwarming video
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IDAHO FALLS — An Idaho Falls woman and her Down syndrome uncle are spreading positivity and disability awareness through social media.
Dalli Hobbs, 25, is the legal guardian and caregiver of her 45-year-old uncle, Ken Merrill. In September 2024, Hobbs, her husband and their son, moved from Colorado to Idaho Falls. That December, Hobbs’ grandma — who Ken was living with at the time — unexpectedly died.
“It was kind of up in the air where Ken would go stay and who he’d stay with,” Hobbs, who said she’s always had a close relationship with Ken, recalled. “It just worked out perfectly that we had a spare bedroom. I was already a stay at home mom and I was like, ‘He needs to come live with us. It’s going to be the best case scenario for him.'”
After her uncle moved in, Hobbs started sharing their everyday life on social media for fun. At the end of January 2026, Hobbs posted a video of her and Ken that quickly took off online. It’s garnered over 13 million views on Tik Tok alone.
The video shows her going into Ken’s room, which Hobbs said her uncle keeps neat, clean and organized, and she’d take random items out to see how he’d react.
“Teasing has always been a way to connect with Ken. … That’s just the way we interact,” she explained. “It’s one of the ways we get him to talk and interact back is by teasing and showing love.”
In the video, Ken is sitting on the floor in his room watching a show as Hobbs goes in and removes items one at a time like his globe, a Boise State pillow, broomstick, a hat and diary. Ken appears confused and at times, upset, as he watches her take the items out of his room.
At one point when Hobbs goes back into his room, he ends up telling her “no more.” The video then shows Hobbs return his items back to him and a relieved look appears on Ken’s face, along with a soft smile.
“I had like 2,000 followers at the time I posted it (on TiK Tok) and when I posted it, it completely blew up. I’ve gained over 20,000 followers just from that video and some videos after that,” she said. “Everyone just loved it because his reaction was so funny.”
A few months ago, she made an Instagram account and in May 2026 she shared the same video. Hobbs said it’s since gotten over 12 million views.
“I’ve gotten tons more messages and comments of people loving it and in the same situation (as a caregiver), and saying that it’s so awesome to see how Ken is,” Hobbs said. “There really isn’t a lot of caretakers of somebody with special needs that I personally know or have seen in my corner of social media so I think the fact that it’s resonated with other people who are in the same situation has been really cool.”
She says she’s since realized that the video has given people another lens to see those with disabilities and special needs.
“A lot of people … they might have one perception of how they (those with disabilities and special needs) are and who they are, but then they see videos of Ken or pictures or stuff that he does, and he’s very capable, smart and funny,” she said.
There’s been a few times out in public where Ken has been recognized by community members who have seen him online and Hobbs said he “absolutely loves the attention.”
Since their video went viral, Hobbs said a Boise State football player sent Merrill a care package of Boise State merchandise. Someone else who came across the video also invited them to a Boise State football camp.
“The opportunities from that alone has been so awesome for Ken,” Hobbs said. “He’s loved it so much.”