YouTube star stuns parents by paying off their mortgage
Here's one amazing way to say thanks to your mom and dad: Pay off their mortgage.
That's what rapper and comedian Timothy DeLaGhetto did for his parents, providing them with $210,000 to cover the balance on their home loan. The gift was making good on a promise he had made them when he was a kid, when he told them he would become successful and pay off their house.
DeLaGhetto, who has built up a fan following over several years through his YouTube videos, took the extra step of capturing the moment on video, with the heartwarming moment going viral and reaching almost 500,000 views as of Wednesday morning. The comedian tells viewers that his parents -- Kongkiat Chantarangsu and Sukhon Chantarangsu -- had worked "so hard ever since I was a little kid" and he wanted to pay them back. The couple owns a Thai restaurant in Paramount, California.
(Editor's note: The below video contains some mild profanity.)
"I may not be a doctor or a lawyer," he said. "But trust me ... I'm going to be successful at it, and I promise you I'm going to pay off the house."
After he dropped out of college to focus on his YouTube career, DeLaGhetto said he realized it had to "be a real mission for me, so they would know that my decision was a good one," he told CBS MoneyWatch in a phone interview. "When I was probably around maybe around 12, when I knew I really wanted to pursue the entertainment gig, I would say, 'Watch, one day I'll pay off your house.'"
In the video, his mom hugs him and starts to cry, while his dad says proudly, "I knew you could do it."
While he handed his parents a check for $210,000, he also paid a separate $130,000 to pay off a second mortgage on the house, he added. He also said he had stock in Maker Studios, which was sold to Disney (DIS) earlier this year, which gave him "a nice little boost of funds" that made it possible for him to pay off the mortgage.
As for his own situation, he notes he's still making payments on his condominium, but notes it's a way to build credit.
DeLaGhetto, who has about 2.5 million followers on YouTube, is also a cast member on MTV2's "Wild 'N Out," a sketch comedy show created by Nick Cannon.
Still, his dad wasn't entirely satisfied. Apparently there's one other box he wants his son to check off. "What about grandchildren?" Chantarangsu asked.
"Give me a couple more years," DeLaGhetto responded.