One woman has stunned the internet by revealing the hidden secrets of her grandmother's new house which was previously owned by an end-of-days prepper.
TikTok user @itsmecarlys revealed the fascinating property in a video with over 4 million views on the video sharing app. Alongside the video was the hashtag "doomsday preppers."
"So when my grandma moved into an old house, she moved into an old end-of-days prepper's house and I need to show you some of the cool things he has in his basement," Carly said in the video before beginning a tour of the bunker.
@itsmecarlys Best thing about coming to this house. #doomsdaypreppers #bunker #endofdays #coolhouse #housetour
♬ original sound - It’s me Carly
She begins the tour by revealing a false pipe that, when pushed, unlocks a secret door leading to a room that she said was stocked with canned food. It also houses a safe. The unexpected discoveries continue as she unveils a bunker hidden behind a fake electric panel, complete with a latch for locking oneself inside.
"When we bought the house, there was a full canned food storage in here, but I do need to show you as masks," Carly explains, showcasing a shelf of dusty gas masks and a water pump in the back room.
The bunker features six bunks for people to sleep on, along with a collection of rusted-out tins. Carly lightened the eerie atmosphere with a touch of humor and joked: "When s*** hits the fan, I know where I'm coming."
Newsweek reached out to @itsmecarlys via TikTok for comment.
End-of-days or doomsday preppers are individuals who take active measures to prepare for catastrophic events, such as natural disasters, economic collapse, pandemics, or other apocalyptic scenarios.
While doomsday prepping as been associated with extremists, behaviors like excessive stockpiling became more commonplace during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, prepping was poised to become a $2.46 billion industry.
A study published on ResearchGate titled Doomsday Prepping during the COVID-19 Pandemic examined these beliefs and behaviors, and found that the stockpiling exhibited during the pandemic was influenced by psychological factors, including doomsday interpretations.
The study emphasized the need for adequate public health guidance and mental health support during a crisis, as well as strategies to address the psychological factors associated with prepping behaviors.
In thousands of comments, people were amazed by the discovery in Carly's grandmother's house.
BexpressYourself said that she would instantly make the bunker "cute and comfy" with fairy lights and beanbag chairs, while others were distinctly put off by the tour.
"Every bunker I've ever seen reinforces my decision to get taken out in the first blast," said one commenter, while another wrote: "The secondhand claustrophobia is almost overwhelming!"
One viewer said that if it was in their home, they'd likely keep it to themselves. "Am I the only one who, if I found something like this in my home, wouldn't tell a bunch of people about it? Only close family would know," they said.
Meanwhile, CelesIris suggested keeping it well stocked, just in case: "I would keep that bunker cleaned and maintain[ed] cause you honestly never know in the US."
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Alice Gibbs is a Newsweek Senior Internet Trends & Culture Reporter based in the U.K. For the last two years ... Read more
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