The patriarch of America’s most endogamous family is alive and well, contrary to reports.
Larry Whittaker, the 67-year-old West Virginia man whose family rose to Internet stardom just a few years ago, was said to have died last week.
Relatives made the claim to journalist Mark Laita, whose videos shed light for the first time on the clan and their remote settlement 75 miles south of Charleston.
As a result, Laita last week appeared dejected when he used his YouTube channel to announce Larry’s supposed death. Citing relatives, he said the elderly man died of a heart attack.
However, as an update posted on their page shows, that turned out not to be true. In it, Larry appears alive, oblivious to the rumors that he has died. His daughter BJ also makes an appearance, where she admits to lying about his death to make money. Laita gave him $1,000 for Larry’s ‘funeral’ last week.
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Larry Whittaker, the 67-year-old West Virginia man whose family rose to Internet stardom a few years ago, was said to have died last week.
In it, Larry appears alive, oblivious to the rumors that he has died. His daughter BJ (left) also makes an appearance, where she confesses to having lied about his death for money.
“I’m not proud of what I’ve done, I’m not,” she says in the clip as she confronts Laita in the almost hour-long video, satirically titled ‘The Death of Larry Whittaker.’
“I shouldn’t have done it,” he laments while smoking a cigarette.
“I’m trying to get help for my drug addiction.”
Her father, who is supposedly dead, is sitting next to her, having found out about the scam moments before.
Laita, already suspicious, was the one who broke the news when she saw Larry pulling up to the property.
“Is this how you dress for your funeral?” the photojournalist asks, making a joke after asking other members of the rude clan about his whereabouts.
‘Hey?’ says the son of double cousins John and Gracie Whittaker, visibly confused.
—Is that how you dress for your funeral? At this point Laita repeats, referring to Larry’s casual attire.
‘Eh, I don’t know?’
At this point, BJ also gets out of the truck and runs toward a trailer on the family’s property. Laita, still filming, tries to get her attention.
Relatives made the claim to journalist Mark Laita, who showed up at the family’s door in West Virginia on Monday after BJ told him Larry was dead. Laita gave him $1,000 for Larry’s ‘funeral’ last week
Before the patriarch arrived, Laita spoke with some family members, such as Betty, Larry’s older sister.
‘I asked you about Larry’s death, you said “he’s dead,” Laita asks the family matriarch. Betty, accompanied by some of her brothers and sisters, responds: “BJ told me to tell you that; he didn’t know you weren’t going to give him money.”
Laita, already suspicious, was the one who broke the news to Larry, when Larry pulled up to the property.
At this point, BJ also gets out of the truck and runs toward a trailer on the family property, away from the journalist he scammed.
‘Hey, BJ! “Should we talk,” she asks, a request the woman ignores as she enters the caravan.
‘BJ!’ he shouts again and again they ignore him.
At this point, Laita gives up and returns to join other family members, including Larry.
Moments earlier, before the patriarch arrived, Laita spoke with some family members, such as Betty, Larry’s older sister.
‘I asked you about Larry’s death, you said “he’s dead,” Laita asks the family matriarch.
Betty, accompanied by her brother Danny, sister Loren, and brother Kenneth, responds, “BJ told me to tell you that; he didn’t know you weren’t going to give him money.”
After Larry arrives, Laita plays a recording of BJ crying over his father’s supposed death, while Betty listens as well.
“Mark, I’m sorry,” BJ says in the recorded clip, sobbing hysterically as he breaks the news. “I needed to tell you… I never thought today would be the day I buried my father.”
When asked directly if he was aware of her “death,” Larry responded, “No, I found out last night on video.”
After Larry arrives, Laita played a recording of BJ crying over his father’s supposed death, while Betty also listened.
The clip then cuts to a meeting 20 minutes later between Laita, Larry and BJ. They are all sitting on the family’s front porch, as Laita engages in a difficult conversation in which she finally admits to scamming the journalist for money.
‘I do not know what to do. I just wanted to ask you: can you send me $150? she continues to ask, through crocodile tears.
The voicemail prompts Larry to shake his head in disbelief, before simply muttering, “Oh, God.”
Still surprised, he adds, “Boy, I don’t know.”
When asked directly if he was aware of her “death,” Larry responds, “No, I found out last night on a video.”
The clip then cuts to a meeting 20 minutes later between Laita, Larry and BJ.
Everyone is sitting on the family’s front porch, as Laita engages in a difficult conversation.
—So, BJ. I understand that you have a drug problem; “You told me,” the filmmaker begins. ‘We all know that. That’s not a secret. But for you-‘
At this point BJ intervenes, admitting to being ashamed of her misdeeds.
‘I’m not proud of what I’ve done, at all. I shouldn’t have done it.’
The now infamous Whittaker family grew up on a dilapidated property in Odd, West Virginia, and are known to communicate through growling and barking.
That story dates back to 1897, when twin brothers, Henry and John, were born. The two brothers welcomed children who ended up getting married and having children of their own.
Among them are Larry, Betty and Danny (right), the latter only communicating through grunts.
Many community members believed the family was an “urban legend” before meeting them at school or church. DailyMail.com visited his house (pictured) last year
Laita continues to forgive her, but commentators were quick to criticize her for her plan.
“Faking Larry’s death to scam money is just…disgusting,” wrote one top commenter, in a clip that has already been viewed nearly 400,000 times.
“It’s amazing how Mark doesn’t completely lose his mind,” another added.
Someone else fired back: “BJ’s not sorry she lied, but she’s really sorry she got caught.”
‘Wow. “They are smarter than people think,” commented another, referring to the family’s genealogy.
That story dates back to 1897, when twin brothers, Henry and John, were born. The two brothers welcomed children who ended up getting married and having children of their own.
Those children eventually gave birth to the Whittaker clan, with 15 descendants in total.
Among them are Larry, Betty, and Danny, who communicates only through grunts.
The family went viral thanks to one of Laita’s videos in 2020, ultimately earning her the nickname the most inbred family in America.
DailyMail.com visited his home in Odd last year.