Nick “Honey Badger” Cummins found himself at the center of a social media storm after sharing a photo of a family outing without his son wearing a life jacket.
The image, posted on Instagram, shows the Australian rugby star enjoying a sunny day on a moving boat with his son, Billy, three, and an unnamed baby, but the apparent absence of life jackets for either of them quickly sparked anger from concerned fans.
One wrote: “Where are the life jackets for the little kids if there is a boat accident where those poor souls would drown?”
Another user added: “Call me Karen, but for the love of God, keep your loved ones safe. Life jackets, for God’s sake!”
Cummins responded in the comments to one critic, writing: “Take a day off Karen, you know where the door is.”
The commenter replied: “I’m not the only one saying this, there are many more people criticizing you for the life jackets. Don’t call me Karen for your poor decision to take your tiny babies on a boat.”
Not all responses were critical; some fans came to Cummins’ defense.
One user began: ‘The first thing I thought of was the absolute love between a father and his children.
Nic ‘Honey Badger’ Cummins has found himself at the centre of a social media storm after sharing a photo of a family outing without his son wearing a life jacket.
“Then I read about the life jackets and the vitriol shown here towards a loving family is disgusting,” they added.
The user continued: “This is a beautiful example of family unity.”
Other followers commented: ‘@nickbadger I had a good laugh at all the Karens in the comments. They look like they’re having a blast.’
The image, posted on Instagram, shows the Australian rugby star enjoying a sunny day on the water with his three-year-old son, Billy, but the apparent absence of life jackets quickly sparked anger from concerned fans.
Comments on the post were divided, with some fans expressing outrage and concern over the perceived security oversight, while others defended the reality TV star.
Some users expressed frustration at the constant judgment from others.
One said: “All these people are trying to teach you how to be a parent… not your kids, just look at Karen’s. They are beautiful kids and have fabulous memories.”
However, another replied: “It’s really stupid to be a parent, especially with such a small child,” reflecting the persistent divide in public opinion.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Cummins for comment.
Nick welcomed his son Billy, with his partner Alexandra George, in October 2022. All photos
Nick welcomed his son Billy, with his partner Alexandra George, in October 2022.
And while Nick has enjoyed a successful media career after appearing on The Bachelor in 2018, he says he doesn’t think he would encourage his son to step into the public eye.
Speaking to Media Week In 2023, he said: ‘I think privacy is the new goal.
“Now, from now on, we’ll probably go off the grid a little bit and just try to get him to learn some of the really important things, like family, connection to the earth, and just feeling whole within himself.”
Nick also said that becoming a father has forced him to “grow up.”
“When you first come here, you’re faced with a huge responsibility that makes you have to shake it off,” he explained.
“Now I have to grow, there are things that are much more important than me. You are excited because you free your mind and live a life of service. I am super excited and I am growing.”
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