Is Ricky Berwick still alive? Viral RIP news report death claim debunked

A video shared on Ricky Berwick’s Instagram account on Tuesday claimed the Canadian comedian had died at 35. The YouTuber, known for his comedic skits, was diagnosed with Beals-Hecht syndrome at birth. Ricky's movements have been limited due to this physical condition, compelling him to use an electric mobility aid.

The video shared on October 7 begins with a WWE superstar picking Ricky up from his wheelchair and throwing him up in the air, with the comedian landing on his back at the edge of the cage.

A supposed live commentary and loud cheers accompany the first segment of the video:

"He's dragging Ricky out of the chair. Look at the power!...Ricky's outta here...the crowd is thunderous!"

The clip then cuts to a supposed live news segment, where an anchor says:

"Good evening! Internet personality Ricky Berwick has died at the age of 35. The Canadian creator known for his humor and openness about living with a severe disability passed away earlier today."

The video then goes on to show a montage being played while the reporter announces his death. Ricky's framed photograph, surrounded by multiple candles, follows a fragment of the smiling comedian moving on a sidewalk with the help of his mobility aid.

However, the video is fake, and so is the news that Ricky Berwick has died. The content creator is very much alive. A moving watermark with the logo of Sora, the AI-video generator, is plastered on the footage from the beginning to the end.

Moreover, the dates shown under Ricky's photo in the live news segment, 1989-2024, imply the creator passed away last year. This is another inconsistency that further undermines the credibility of the news by highlighting its falsified nature.

Ricky Berwick's age and birth year mentioned in the post are also inaccurate. He was born in April 1992 and is 33 years old.

A brief look into OpenAI's Sora

OpenAI first launched Sora in December 2024. This software uses artificial intelligence to generate videos through text prompts as provided by users.

The company defines Sora as "a diffusion model, which generates a video by starting off with a base video that looks like static noise and gradually transforms it by removing the noise over many steps."

Apart from text-based prompts, Sora can also create a video using still images by animating its content. Existing videos can also be extended with the help of this software.

According to Sora's system card, it blocks users from generating content that can be used for fraudulent activities. OpenAI also claimed:

"To support enforcement, we provide in-app reporting, combine automation with human review to detect patterns of misuse, and apply penalties or remove content when violations occur."

Sora 2 is here. pic.twitter.com/hy95wDM5nB

— OpenAI (@OpenAI) September 30, 2025

In September this year, OpenAI launched Sora 2, which introduces "capabilities that have been difficult for prior video models to achieve– such as more accurate physics, sharper realism, synchronized audio, enhanced steerability, and an expanded stylistic range."

Ricky Berwick has also recently posted several other videos created using Sora. One of them featured a supposed deepfake of Jake Paul.