Drew Scanlon, known worldwide as the 'Blinking Guy' meme, has transformed his accidental fame into a force for good. He uses that recognition to raise funds, collecting more than $300,000 through his annual charity bike rides.
Sometimes the internet crowns its heroes in the strangest ways. For Drew Scanlon, all it took was one confused blink during a gaming livestream in 2013 and the world never stopped looking. A simple facial reaction, caught on video by chance, turned him into what millions now know as 'Blinking Guy', which is the go-to meme for quiet disbelief or mild irritation.
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Back then, Scanlon was working with the video-game review site Giant Bomb, appearing in a live stream with colleagues. During a casual conversation, one of them cracked a joke that took him by surprise, and Scanlon blinked in disbelief. That moment would soon escape its context and travel across the internet at lightning speed.
The birth of a meme legend
The short clip, rediscovered in 2017, exploded on social media platforms. People used it to express disbelief, subtle annoyance, or those moments when you hear something so strange that you simply have no words, only a blink.
"I had nothing to do with it", Scanlon told CTV News, laughing. "It doesn’t even feel like me most of the time, it’s just a face I made".
His reaction was soon everywhere, from reaction tweets to GIFs in text messages, and in 2021, Vox ranked it as the 11th best meme of all time.
Turning fame into kindness
But unlike many viral stars who fade into internet memory, Scanlon chose to 'pay it forward' according to a report in Good News Network. Instead of running from his fame, he used it to help others.
Since 2016, he has participated in a 120-mile charity bike race from San Francisco to Napa, raising funds for the National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society. His friend Katie and her mother both live with MS, inspiring him to ride each year in their honour.
Every year, Scanlon revives his 'Blinking Guy' social media accounts to post one simple message: a link to blinkingguy.com, where people can donate to the MS cause.
“I’ve been floored by the response,” he said, sharing that the meme’s popularity has helped him raise more than $300,000 for MS research and services that support those affected by the disease.
The man behind the meme
Despite his viral fame, Scanlon remains humble and grounded. He doesn’t chase online attention or commercial deals. For him, the true reward is seeing how something so small, a blink, can bring about real-world change.
“Not all heroes wear capes,” fans often say of him online. “Some blink confusedly.”
And in Drew Scanlon’s case, that blink continues to make the world a little brighter, one donation at a time.
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