Influencer Defends Throwing Son Off Cliff in Viral Video

In late September 2025, influencer Garrett Gee, who runs the popular "The Bucket List Family" account, found himself at the center of a parenting controversy. Gee had posted a video showing him throwing his young son off a cliff into a lake, sparking outrage from some of his 3 million Instagram followers.

However, Gee is now defending his actions, telling People magazine that he was being "thoughtful and cautious" as a parent. He explains that the cliff height was carefully chosen to ensure his son's safety, and that his goal was to teach the child bravery and the ability to "do hard things."

Gee acknowledges that the video may have looked "terrible" to those who hadn't followed his family's journey, but he stands by his parenting approach. He says a "small part" of him felt sad reading the critical comments, as it showed how many people don't have the opportunity to be "pushed" by their parents to try new things.

Despite the backlash, Gee says the controversy didn't affect him "negatively in any way," as he remains confident in his and his wife's abilities as parents. He understands the "nature of the internet" and the tendency for quick judgments, but maintains that his intentions were loving and cautious.