Darren Douglas: Mother pays tribute to disabled TikTok star son

The mother of a disabled man from Ramsey who found fame on TikTok has paid tribute to his ability to inspire others to live a full life.

Darren Douglas' videos demonstrating how he got by without the use of his hands amassed millions of views.

The 31-year-old died earlier this month following a short illness.

His mother, Michele Butterworth, said her son had a "wicked sense of humour" and a "big personality", and she was proud of the legacy he had left behind.

Michele Butterworth said her son had always been determined to live life to the full

Ms Butterworth said she has been "totally overwhelmed" by messages of support and tributes from his followers since his death.

She said he had been a particular inspiration to others with disabilities by showing that he could still live a full life.

In December 2021, he told the BBC he hoped his videos would "inspire other disabled people" to overcome obstacles in their own lives.

A video of Darren Douglas painting a door had more than 18 million views

Ms Butterworth said despite his physical restrictions her son had always been independent.

"Even from an early age he couldn't crawl so he would roll," she said.

"He just wasn't phased by anything, and that's how we moved forward as a family, we didn't mollycoddle him."

Michele Butterworth said she was proud of her son's legacy

She said she had received messages from people from all over the world, including some from America, telling her how much they loved "Daz", as he was affectionately known.

"People will continue to talk about him, which is good," she added.