Some may say that there will be people left behind as we enter university — but this family might have taken things too literally.
A Malaysian family recently shared a TikTok video filmed when they unintentionally left their son behind at a rest stop while they were on the way to register him at a university.
The TikTok video, uploaded on Tuesday (Aug 1) by user Keyrolahcong has since garnered over more than three million views.
The family were driving the teen to the International Islamic University Malaysia’s Gambang campus in Pahang for enrolment when they came to a stop.
“My mum stopped the car by the roadside, saying that our younger brother was unintentionally left behind at the rest stop,” Keyrolahcong shared.
They had just received a call from the teen, who asked: “Why did you leave me? I’m still at the rest stop!”
It was only then that they realised their blunder — if his younger brother didn’t have his phone on him, they might have driven all the way to their destination without him, Keyrolahcong said.
Their mum hadn’t noticed that her youngest son had slinked off to use the washroom.
Fortunately, a driver who was at the same rest stop didn’t mind ferrying the teen to his waiting family.
“He had to be thick-skinned and ask for a ride from the driver since they were going the same way,” the older brother commented on his video.
20 minutes after they pulled up by the roadside, the family saw a vehicle signalling along the highway before coming to a stop before them.
“Turns out that was my brother,” Keyrolahcong wrote. “My stomach was going to burst from laughter!”
Sure enough, his brother stepped out of the vehicle, all dressed up in formal wear. Meanwhile, their mother went over to the driver and expressed her gratitude to the good Samaritan.
He added: “[My brother] lost all his machismo today. His face was so red.”
Don’t forget to double-check on your passengers before driving off, he reminded those viewing the TikTok clip.
Netizens also found the situation humorous, with one TikTok user saying: “The most important person was left behind!”
“Just let the mum enroll in the orientation instead,” another said in jest.
This article was first published on AsiaOne and republished on theAsianparent with permission.
