A mysterious item donated to a Burnaby thrift store is going viral on TikTok

A Burnaby thrift store volunteer whose TikTok video about a mysterious donation recently went viral was skeptical when a Newsweek A reporter contacted him this week – but it turned out the media request was legitimate.

Alex Lim, who has volunteered at the Burnaby Hospice Society thrift store for about five months, said Google Lens can usually help the store identify the more unusual items it receives from donors.

But a few weeks ago, the app didn't help when someone dropped an 8.2-meter-long retractable carbon fiber rod with an attachment at the end that looked like a wick – so he took to TikTok.

“I need your help. Do you know what that is?” he said in his video.

“It just went viral,” Lim said Burnaby NOW.

@alexjrlim.eth Question #fyp ♬ Original sound – Alex Lim

The video was viewed 1.9 million times and received nearly 55,000 likes and 4,517 comments in multiple languages.

These numbers caught the attention of the weekly magazine Newsweekin which Lim appeared in a story this week.

Some of the comments on the TikTok video provided real answers that led to the fishing rod being identified as a type of fishing pole that uses a solid line rather than a reel.

Other comments ranged from plausible to hilarious.

“I used to use it to press my mother’s last button,” one comment said.

“It's about fending off your family when you eat the last piece of cake,” said another.

Many suspected that the long rod was intended to poke things, including the Grinch, co-workers, grandchildren, livestock, and the ugly naked guy (a reference to the TV show). Friends).

Others said it could be used to light chandeliers in a castle, clean giraffe ears and “touch people you wouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole.”

Many of the commenters encouraged Lim to continue posting videos featuring interesting thrift store items.

He said he had “no idea” why the video had gotten so much attention, but hoped it was good for the thrift store, which is raising money for the hospice.

“If we’re going to do a little publicity for the Burnaby Hospice Society, then so be it,” he said. “That's wonderful.”

The Burnaby Hospice Society Thrift Store is located at 6843 Kingsway.

Follow Cornelia Naylor on X/Twitter @CorNaylor
e-mail [email protected]