In April 2022, Andrew Dawson, a 34-year-old from Campbell River in British Columbia, became an unexpected internet sensation after the publication of a video Tiktok, which caused widespread curiosity and debate.
Known for his bracket @andykapt, Dawson was an ordinary creator of the content, who released carefree movies about his life – friends, work, his girlfriend Salmie, her children and his dog. But a single film shot near the mountain columbia in British Columbia stuck it in the center of online secrecy covering the alleged observations of giants, UFOs, government agents and his sudden disappearance from social media.
This is the story of Andrew Dawson, a man whose viral moment has left more questions than answers.
@andykapt
A strange view of Górska Góra Kajakowa
On April 9, 2022, Dawson was going south to southern Colombia Yellowhead Highway (BC-5) with a friend when he noticed something unusual on the mountain mountain back, near Cedarside Regional Park.
By bringing the phone closer, he captured what he thinks was a massive figure similar to a man standing on a snowy peak. “It's a person, old! No, seriously, pull!” – he exclaimed in a film that quickly accumulated millions of views. Dawson was adamant that this number was too gigantic to be an ordinary person, fueling speculation about the “giant” in the mountains.
Dawson's viral success of the video prompted to continue examining. Encouraged by thousands of comments encouraging him to get closer, he returned to the area the next day, setting up the camera to avoid complaints about the shaky film material.
To his surprise, the character disappeared. “He's no longer there,” he said, pointing to the place where he saw a mysterious shape. Local residents told him that “something lives in the mountains, but it is not always visible”, adding an intrigue.
The region, part of the Jasper National Park, has the history of over 200 submitted Bigfoot or Sasquatch observations since 1800, with the term “Sasquatch” from the word Salish for “Wild Man” or “Hairy Man”.
The last submitted observations in the area took place in 2014, when the information socket described a gigantic, black figure moving on the snow.
@andykapt
Meetings with authority
Dawson's attempts to learn more about this character met with obstacles. During one journey, he claimed that he was arrested on a public road by a man identifying as a government agent, perhaps from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), who told him that he was entering “environmental problems.”
Dawson found this strange because the road was in the national park. Underained, he returned the next morning at 5:30, this time he captured the material from what he described as UFO – delicate in the sky over the mountain.
Later on the same day he recorded two black helicopters floating near the summit, apparently “extracting something”. These events, all occurring in a few days, intensified the mystery surrounding his films.
On April 16, Dawson published a film entitled “Being persecuted”, claiming that the unmarked Dodge Charger, similar to that led by an agent who stopped him, was parked in front of his house in the Campbell River.
When he approached, the vehicle accelerated. His followers, concerned about the escalating situation, warned him to be careful, noticing that his films – noticeable by millions – mighty attracted undesirable attention. Some called him to stop publishing, employing a lawyer or went to the media to protect himself.
@andykapt A lot has happened and I cannot be forced to silence.
Forced confession and final film
After a three -week break, Dawson appeared on May 6 with a film entitled “Official Update”. In it he stood by an ordinary wall, his hands in his pockets and claimed that all his films were script and false, created exclusively for entertainment.
The tons and video presentation were clearly different from its ordinary content. Unlike his other posts, which were often filmed by hand and free, he used a tripod, and Dawson seemed to look outside the camera, leading many to speculation that he was forced to notice.
Ten days later, on May 16, he published another film withdrawing his confession, stating: “My films were not false” and warning: “You may not see me again.” His signature was: “Too much happened and I can't be forced to be silent.”
On May 17, Dawson sent his last film Tiktok, showing a dim construction at the mountain with “Gigant”.
He signed the “army”, questioned his sudden appearance: “What is it? It was not yesterday.” Then Dawson disappeared from Tiktok, leaving 480,000 followers speculating on his fate.
@andykapt
Tragic end and lasting doubts
On July 1, 2022, an obituary for Andrew Ryan Watchorn Dawson appeared At Campbell River Mirror, stating that he died at the age of 34. The notification, which included his date of birth (November 4, 1987) and the details of the family, did not constitute any cause of death, and his authenticity was questioned due to the ease of submission of obituaries without death.
Some sourcesIn this posts of Dawson's girl, he suggested that he was struggling with depression and could take his own life. However, the lack of official confirmation and the deadline – he published the same day as his reported death – even speculation that the obitrologist can be part of mystification.
Sigvocked skeptics have refuted many Dawson's stories. The “giant” on the kayak was probably the upper tower of a mobile phone, darkened in later films due to a change in filming.
“UFO” was probably opposed to the sun, and helicopters were probably involved in Heli-Logging, universal practice in the raw area of British Colombia. The “military” structure was identified as Jasper Skytram, a cable cable system built in 1964.
“Agent” at Dodge Charger, with free behavior and exhalation on the secondary market, seemed more local than government.
Despite these explanations, the circumstances of Dawson's death remain dim, with a miniature public record of his life or the transfer of social media and the obituary.
@andykapt
Consequences
The history of Dawson captivated the audience, combining elements of cryptosology, government conspiracy and personal tragedy. His thread increased to over 521,000 after his disappearance, when users continued to make their films.
Some believed that he came across a real secret, pointing to his alleged supervision and forced confession as a proof of covering. Others argued that he organized a viral mystification, using his love for the performance – he was an aspiring musician – and appetite for a secret.
Lack of transparency of his death, in combination with minimal online records, only deepened the puzzle.
Tony Merkel, host of the podcast confessionals, He reached out to Dawson in May 2022 for an interview. On June 23, Dawson replied, insisting that his films would be false, but advising Merkel to “be safe” and avoid discussing the matter.
This exchange, in combination with the posts of Dawson's girl about his depression, suggests a personal fight that could be tightened by viral attention.
While the evidence indicates the rational explanations of his observation-the world confused with gigantic, routine helicopters and a well-known tram-emotional weight of his final positions and reported death cannot be rejected. It is possible that Dawson, a charismatic creator, created a complicated narrative to boost his presence online, but it is overwhelmed by paying attention.
Alternatively, his anxiety in later films and the time of the obituary suggest that a man struggling with personal challenges in the center of notes of sudden fame. As a journalist, I tend to simply explain: a series of incorrect interpretations strengthened by the echo chamber, combined with a tragic personal result.
Image Source: Pixabay.com
