Sermon Illustrations
‘Gorilla Glue Girl’ Gives GoFundMe Gift
Tessica Brown got internet famous for making a huge blunder; but she used that opportunity to do something good. Brown became famous after uploading a video to TikTok explaining how she accidentally set her hair with spray-on industrial adhesive Gorilla Glue instead of her similarly-named regular hair product, Got2b Glued. Brown said, “It went from scary to terrifying to pretty much being tortured.”
Reactions online were mixed; some thought it was an intentional prank engineered for viral fame, others seem to recognize it as an innocent mistake that left a woman in genuine distress. Nevertheless, Brown was on a mission to try to redeem her hair from the sticky situation. She endured an unsuccessful trip to the hospital, and friends set up a GoFundMe account to help pay for whatever treatment she could find.
Redemption, however, came from a plastic surgeon from Los Angeles, Dr. Michael Obeng, who offered to operate on Brown free of charge. Having a chemistry background, Dr. Obeng created a solvent to break down the adhesive’s active ingredient, polyurethane. Brown said, “Dr. Obeng got every bit of it out,” and she also received a few extra scalp treatments to ensure her hair wouldn’t fall out.
Out of gratitude for his generosity and expertise, Brown is donating the balance of her GoFundMe account to Restore, Dr. Obeng’s foundation that raises money for overseas patients needing reconstructive surgeries.
Possible Preaching Angle:
We all make mistakes, but God is not through with us. God gives us opportunities to turn our blunders into triumphs. Even in trying circumstances, you might still have a chance to bless somebody else.