Dad Who Threw Son, 7, Off Cliff Speaks Out About Backlash to Viral Video

Sometimes parenting requires a leap of faith—or, in Garrett Gee’s case, a literal jump off a cliff.

Gee, the influencer behind The Bucket List Family page, went viral in July 2025 after sharing a video of himself tossing his 7-year-old son off a cliff at Lake Powell. In the clip, Gee stands on a massive cliff alongside his son, Calihan, offering what seems like a pep talk. To help his elementary school-aged son overcome his fears, Gee picked him up and threw him into the water below.

The video drew widespread criticism, but Gee encourages viewers to explore more of their content to understand the context.

“If somebody came across that video and had only seen that video, then I agree with them,” he tells PEOPLE exclusively. “‘Oh man, this looks terrible, and this father’s pushing their child too much.’ But anyone who has followed our journey for a longer time understands how thoughtful and cautious we are as parents.”

While adventure and travel form the core of Gee’s content, he emphasizes the importance of comfort and safety, even when challenging his kids to step outside their comfort zones.

“A small part of me felt sad when I would read the comments because you could tell how many people out there didn’t have the opportunity to be pushed by their parents to try new things and stayed within their comfort zone,” Gee shares.

“That’s not the best way to live life,” he adds. “When people were very upset or terrified by the video, those were the people whom I thought, ‘I would love to go on an adventure with you and help you try something new.’”

In his original post, Gee made it clear the video was not intended as “parental advice” nor as a suggestion for others to try. He also noted that this approach has not been used with their other two children.

“Each kid is quite different, so the way we parent, discipline, and teach HOW TO CLIFF JUMP is quite different 🙂 For sure 1st priority is safety. 2nd is learning that YOU CAN DO HARD THINGS. 3rd is HAVE FUN :),” he wrote.

Despite the criticism, Gee says it didn’t affect him negatively.

“I’m very confident in who my wife and I are as parents, our intentions, and how careful, cautious, and loving we are,” he tells PEOPLE. “It didn’t affect me. I understand the nature of the internet.”

Gee has long been familiar with the realities of sharing life online, as their channel recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary. Over the past decade, the adventurous family has posted videos surfing with sharks, tandem scuba diving, and sledding in Italy, among other exploits.

“As a dad, selfishly, I love the opportunity we’ve had to travel together. When we’re traveling, we get to be together as a family 24/7, experiencing different things and exploring new places together,” Gee says.

The family first made headlines in 2015 when Snapchat purchased Gee’s mobile scanning app for $54 million. They then sold their possessions and left their home in Utah to travel the world full-time. Since then, The Bucket List Family brand has grown into a major Instagram and YouTube presence, amassing millions of followers.

Gee and his wife, Jessica, have traveled to more than 100 countries with their children. For those inspired to follow a similar path, Gee advises starting small.

“Go on a fun adventure in your own backyard, then explore your region, and gradually build from there to see if it’s what you want to do,” he says. “We went extreme and sold everything, but it’s not for everyone.”

Gee hopes his content inspires others to embark on their own adventures.

“When we create a video, our goal isn’t to get people to watch as much as possible. It’s the opposite. We want viewers to see a video, feel inspired, and go live their life—turn off their screens, turn off the internet, and adventure offline,” he shares.

One of their upcoming projects is a children’s book featuring fictionalized accounts of their travels. Each child contributed, adding fantastical elements to the family’s real-life adventures.

Gee says it was “really fun” incorporating their own story into the book, showing an “ordinary family” taking a risk and deciding to go on an adventure. While some parts may seem exaggerated, he emphasizes there’s more truth than it may appear.

“If I were a child reading this book without knowing the real Bucket List Family, it would seem fantastical—baby’s first steps with penguins in Antarctica, gorillas in Rwanda, and meerkats climbing on them in Botswana. But the fun part is that all of it is based on true stories,” he explains. “At the end, a collage of real photos shows each of these experiences, including swimming with whales.”

Above all, Gee says he’s proud the book was “a full family effort, a full team effort.”

He also hints at plans to adapt the book into an animated television series, allowing families to enjoy a humorous, lighthearted adventure while learning life lessons from cultures and countries around the world.

The Bucket List Family and the Big Adventure will be released by Disney Hyperion and National Geographic on Oct. 28 and is available for preorder wherever books are sold.