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It all started with an email from management at a California apartment complex stating that all elevators in one of the buildings were out-of-order for emergency maintenance. After days of waiting, one of the elevators remained out of service, leading to a viral TikTok series posted to @stokedpat that has been dubbed a "revolution." These videos have received anywhere between 53,000 views to as many as 2.8 million views.
The first video, posted on August 27, shows the TikToker posting a sticky note that reads "Out of order 10 days and counting" to the elevator. When @stokedpat returned to the elevator the next day and discovered it was still broken, he posted another sticky note to mark the 11th day without elevator service.
The saga continued with the Italian protest song Bella Ciao playing in the background of the videos. Although his sticky notes were removed, @stokedpat took things another step further. Graduating from small sticky notes, he wrote the same message on a larger sheet of paper and taped it to the elevator doors.
Not long after, @stokedpat received a text from his roommate who sent a picture of another note next to the one he left.
"Whoever posts this; we stand with you. Fix it," the note read.
"You are starting a revolution," a text to him read.
Another note featured in part six of the series read, "We saw your video from TikTok and realized we were your neighbors from next door! We stand with you in this fight! Bella Ciao Bella Ciao Bella Ciao Ciao Ciao."
One neighbor left a note in another video that stated their mother-in-law has limited mobility and is unable to take the stairs
Despite most of his neighbors standing with him, management once again took his note down and replaced it with a notice of their own that read, "Elevator temporarily out of service until further notice. Sorry for the inconvenience."
Undeterred, @stokedpat printed out a new sign with the note of the 13th day of the elevator being out of order and taped it next to the maintenance sign.
Viewers wrote in the comments that they were invested in the series and asked for larger and more creative signs until the elevator was fixed. The TikTok account for software company Adobe even weighed in and suggested that he use one of their programs to create a new sign.
The notes got the attention of the apartment complex's management, which sent out another update that stated that the parts needed to repair the elevator were on backorder.
"We ask that residents & guests refrain from posting notes in or around the elevator," the email read.
While @stokedpat wrote that he understood that it may take a while for repair parts to come in, but was frustrated over the initial lack of transparency.
"Multiple maintenance requests yielded no response," he wrote in the comments. "Any of their responses came only after notes were being posted. I'm not mad, I just know how to get a reply now."
User @stokedpat told Newsweek that the videos started as a way to have fun and as a way to tell an ongoing story in 30-second increments. He didn't expect the series would go viral and for people to actively follow along.
The broken elevator is the only elevator in that building that goes to the bottom floor of the garage. User @stokedpat said he did not know if there were people adversely affected by the broken elevator but said there weren't accommodations offered to people who may have mobility issues in the notes or emails sent out to residents.
He said during his time living in the building, the elevators have been out-of-order several times, but it hasn't taken this long to repair before.
Despite an entertaining back and forth, with @stokedpat even using sticky notes to illustrate the numbers to mark the days since the elevator became inoperable before installing caution tape, people shared their sympathy for those in the building who cannot use that elevator.
"This is unbelievable. It should never have gone this long," one TikTok user wrote in the comments. "Anyone in a wheelchair would be stuck in their home. Fight the good fight!"
"That elevator is a promised amenity and I'm sure you wouldn't have picked the unit on that floor if there was no elevator," another comment read.
Another commenter wrote, "As someone with limited mobility, my heart aches for those who might be struggling because of this!"
Despite his frustration with management's transparency, @stokedpat said he appreciates the work that they do for the property.
As far as what he has planned next in the series, @stokedpat said he has a "laundry list of ideas."
Newsweek has reached out to the corporate office for the apartment but did not hear back by press time.
Updated 09/08/2021, 5:13 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with comments from @stokedpat.
About the writer
Catherine Ferris is a Newsweek reporter based in New York. Her focus is reporting for the U.S. Trends Team. She ... Read more