David Baerten aka Ragnar le Fou fakes his own death and arrives at funeral in helicopter

A Belgian TikToker who faked his own death and then turned up at the funeral in a helicopter says he pulled the stunt to teach people a “life lesson”.

David Baerten, who goes by Ragnar le Fou on social media, told his wife and daughter about his plan, according to a report in The Times, and enlisted their help to make his death more believable.

His daughter posted a status on Facebook last week alluding to her father’s death, thanking family and friends for their messages of support.

Thank you very much, it means a lot to me,” she wrote.

“(I’m) thankful for him.”

A post was then made to Baerten’s Facebook page on Sunday by someone appearing to be a family member

They described Baerten’s death as “painful” and wrote that a funeral would be held the following day.

“I wanted to thank you for all your messages of condolence for my Ragnar, it’s huge the number of people who have shown their affection towards him! I have goosebumps,” the person wrote.

“I’m expecting many of you tomorrow ... to give him .... a last tribute worthy of what he deserves.”

Fans, family members and friends of the 45-year-old flocked to his social media pages to share their shock at the news.

“Sincere condolences to the family and loved ones, especially to you and your children,” one person wrote.

“There are no words in these moments ... courage and strength to you,” another said.

Thomas Faut, a TikToker who attended Baerten’s funeral, posted a video of a helicopter arriving at the event.

Baerten stepped out of the aircraft to the shock of his loved ones, who can be seen running towards him.

In another TikTok video, which has now been viewed 1.4 million times, a man cries as he tightly embraces Baerten.

“You had us, I swear to you I was in tears,” Faut wrote in the video’s caption.

“We love you very much.”