With the Olympics in full swing, people from across the globe have flocked to Rio de Janeiro hoping to watch their country's athletes grab the gold. And while many of these spectators simply hope to catch those historic Olympic moments in person, they generally don't expect to have their own viral moments at the Games.
For a pair of men from Amarillo, TX, however, that's exactly what happened. After watching some of the day's events at the Rio Center, 19-year-old Britton Barker and his 68-year-old grandfather, Wayne McEntire, decided to head back to their apartment on Copacabana Beach.
As the two boarded a crowded subway car, another passenger offered up a seat to McEntire (a common gesture of respect for one's elders in Brazil), who politely refused. Normally, the exchange would have ended there, but it's what Barker's grandfather did next that left everyone on the train — and across the internet — in awe.
[H/T: ABC News]
Wayne McEntire's grandson Britton Barker took to Twitter when he saw what his grandfather was doing. "Someone offered my grandpa a preferred seat for elderly people on the subway and he did this," he wrote.
While at first it might seem like he's contemplating whether or not to take the seat, it quickly becomes clear that McEntire has something very different in mind.
Grabbing the pole for support, McEntire readies himself to start his impressive feat. After making sure he has a solid grip, the 68-year-old uses his upper body strength to lift his legs into the air, bringing his body parallel to the seats below him.
Don't believe it? Keep scrolling!
Barker told ABC News that his grandfather works out frequently using light weights, and that he'd pulled similar stunts in the past, just never in public.
Since sharing his grandfather's subway acrobatics show with the world, Barker's post has been retweeted more than 80,000 times and liked over 100,000 times.
Barker, a student at Texas Tech University, told ABC News that even he was surprised by his post's popularity. "I've never experienced anything like it," he said.
According to the news outlet, Barker will travel back to the U.S. today, while McEntire — an avid Olympics fan — will stay in Rio for another week.
To his credit, McEntire took his newfound fame in stride, even going so far as to call his wife and tease her that she can have his autograph when he gets back home.
Viral fame aside, the pair seem to have had a grand time soaking in Rio's Olympic atmosphere together, and have even made plans to travel to Tokyo with Barker's brothers for the Games in 2020 as well.
With so much to see and do at the Olympics, I'm sure everyone would love to have one trip like this with their grandfather, never mind two!
If, like Wayne, you think people are more than just their age, then please SHARE this story with all of your friends!
