A Widow in Peru Twerked on a Cardboard Cutout of Her Late Husband During His Funeral — And the Internet Doesn’t Know Whether to Laugh, Cry, or Applaud
When a loved one dies, most of us picture a quiet room filled with tears, hushed prayers, and gentle sobs. But somewhere in Peru, a very different kind of goodbye took place — one that has sparked outrage, laughter, and unexpected admiration online. In a scene caught on video and shared by the New York Post, a widow sent her husband off in a way that few could have imagined: by twerking on a life-sized cardboard cutout of him, right there next to his coffin.
No, this isn’t satire. It’s not a sketch from a dark comedy or a scene in a fictional drama about grief gone rogue. This really happened, and the video has racked up millions of views, stirring up a whirlwind of emotions from every corner of the internet. Some called it shameless. Others called it love. And many just couldn’t look away.
The video opens with a lively crowd, not a somber one. There’s no organ playing in the background, no slow recitation of verses or tearful eulogies. Instead, people are laughing, smiling, and cheering. A woman—clad in black and clearly the center of attention—dances her way to a cardboard cutout of a man wearing shades, chains, and a confident smirk. This isn’t your average funeral portrait. It’s a larger-than-life image of someone who looks more like a rapper or a party king than a deceased husband.
And then, the woman twerks.
Right there in front of everyone, in front of the man’s coffin, she bends, shakes, and moves with raw energy. It’s not just a few seconds of awkward movement—it’s a full-on dance, complete with the crowd cheering her on, filming with their phones, and reacting like they’re at a concert rather than a memorial service.
But here’s where the story shifts from viral shock value to something a little deeper. Because as odd as it may seem to outsiders, this wasn’t just a random, inappropriate act. This was how she chose to celebrate him. According to some local reports and context given on social media, the man had lived his life with flair. He loved dancing, parties, and being the center of attention. The cardboard cutout wasn’t a joke—it was a tribute to who he was.
For many people in Peru and other parts of Latin America, funerals are not always solemn. Some cultures believe in honoring the dead with music, dancing, and celebration. They believe that death isn’t the end, but a transition. So, what might look like disrespect to one person could be a meaningful expression of joy, love, and farewell to another.
Of course, the internet did what it does best—divide, dissect, and debate. Comments poured in from every side. “This is disgusting,” wrote one user. “How can anyone act like this at a funeral?” But others pushed back: “Let people grieve how they want. If this brought her peace, who are we to judge?” One particularly popular reply summed it up with dark humor: “She really said ‘till death do us party.’”
Beyond the viral sensation, this video raised real questions about how we process grief. Are we bound to traditional rituals? Is mourning supposed to look a certain way? In the age of social media, when everything is recorded, posted, and judged within seconds, are we losing sight of personal expression and cultural nuance?
It’s easy to dismiss what happened as tasteless. But that judgment often comes from assuming that grief must follow one script. In reality, grief is as personal as love. Some cry. Some go quiet. Some laugh at inappropriate moments. And some, apparently, twerk.
We don’t know everything about the couple in that video. We don’t know their inside jokes, their memories, or what promises they made each other behind closed doors. Maybe he asked her to dance at his funeral. Maybe it was her way of holding on just a little longer—of giving him one last smile. Maybe it was her way of surviving something unbearable.
One thing is clear: her goodbye made headlines. But more importantly, it made people talk. Talk about mourning, love, and the ways we show up for the people we lose. Talk about whether a celebration of life is more meaningful than a display of sorrow.
And somewhere in Peru, a woman might be sitting at home, reading the internet’s reactions to her moment of grief, wondering why the world is so interested in how she said goodbye to someone she loved.
Maybe that’s the lesson here. That grief can be messy, loud, joyful, tragic, and even funny all at once. And sometimes, the most human thing we can do is not to understand it—but to accept it.
