OSGOOD – The first time you watch the video of a 3-year-old on the funhouse at a carnival you’re really not sure what is going to happen. There are approximately 1.6 million viewers you felt the same.
The girl held on with a death grip and is now getting quite a bit of attention for her accomplishment. The Youtube video has been featured on national television including Fox News, Good Morning America and The Talk.
The video was captured at the Ripley County 4-H Fair on Wednesday, July 23. Aniah Ison is the star of the video and not surprisingly, her mother Cierra says Aniah goes by the nickname “Monkey.”
“She is constantly climbing and hanging on everything, the refrigerator door, closet door, climbing on furniture and jumping off stuff. She is always saying and doing funny things- but this is definitely on top of her list!”
The Milan natives have attended the fair in year’s past and the funhouse is always a favorite of Aniah’s, her mother says.
“I took her last year on wristband night and she did the funhouse 15 to 20 times in a row and wouldn’t get off of it, but would walk through the tunnel. This year she was excited to go back and do it again, but I didn’t expect her to ride it the way she did,” Cierra Ison noted.
After holding on for dear life Aniah took a tumble but was not injured. The boy in the video is Aniah’s brother, Rowan, as you hear Aniah announce, “I like that Mommy!”
Thankfully, Cierra videotaped the impromptu performance by her daughter to share with family and friends. She uploaded it on Facebook and friends later urged her to post it on Youtube. Within one week, the video was viewed by 1.5 million users and appeared on national television.
“I was excited but I was also scared because I had no idea [the video would be on television] because no one contacted me,” Cierra Ison recalled. “Since then all of the networks she has been on have contacted me.”
Anytime a video goes viral you can expect some feedback. The Ison video has certainly seen plenty with both positive and negative remarks from anonymous internet users.
“All local feedback has been positive. But the extent and crudeness of the negative comments are crazy.”
“I think there have been just as much positive comments too, people sticking up for me who don’t even know me. So I think a lot of people that like the video are more level headed and just like [the video] and go on.”
Cierra, an employee at Sharper Image in Batesville, added that any financial gains from the video will be put away for Aniah when she is older.
“Really the experience overall has been awesome. I can’t wait to explain to her when she is older what is going on. She really has no idea what is going on right now she just likes watching the video.”
