Preston Ordone: Mum of viral TikTok 'OkayBaby' who died aged two in car accident speaks for first time since crash

Little Preston Ordone became a viral sensation on TikTok and Instagram for continually responding “okay” to all of his mum’s requests - only to do then do the exact opposite moments later. His mum, Katelynn Ordean, built a large following on social media, with more than 163,000 followers on Instagram and 411,000 on TikTok who all loved to watch Preston’s antics.

Last Thursday, (April 24), tragedy struck when Preston was traveling in a car with his parents, Katelynn and Jaelan Ordone, in Louisiana, United States. Their 2011 Ford F-150 veered off the road and struck a tree. Both Katelynn and Jaelan sustained serious injuries and were taken to separate local hospitals for treatment. Despite efforts by emergency responders, Preston later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.

Now, days after the crash Katelynn has returned to social media to speak out about the tragedy - and thanks fans for their support. "I wanted to try to come on here and give y'all an update, because I have been hearing about all the love and the support that y'all have been giving,” she said in the video, which was shared on Tuesday, (April 29). "It means so much to us in a time like this.”

The grieving mum went on to say that she was discharged from the hospital on Monday (April 28), but her husband Jaelen is still in the hospital, so she and their oldest child Paisley, was not involved in the crash as she was at school, are staying at an Airbnb nearby to be able to see him often. She became emotional as she went on: "None of us could really understand why or how this could happen. But y'all support has made a big difference in a lot of this.

"I may not be able to watch everything, I may not be able to reply to every comment, because it's really hard for me to look at it," she continued. "I'm still seeing some things and hearing how much y'all love him, and it means a lot."

Katelynn concluded her video to say was hard to express her thoughts at the moment, but she wanted to show her appreciation for everyone who reached out with messages sending support. She captioned the video: "It’s very hard for me to gather my thoughts right now but I really wanted everyone to know I truly appreciate the support during this incredibly difficult time.”

The Louisiana State Police previously issued a press release stating that the cause of the crash “is still under investigation.” Authorities said Preston was seated in the back seat but was “improperly restrained in a child safety seat.” However, Preston’s grandfather, Glen Norris, has disputed that claim, telling Nola.com that a witness at the scene confirmed Preston was properly secured. Norris described the police’s statement as “hurtful and painful.” Trooper Marc Gremillion told Nola.com that the report was based on the best information currently available to the authorities.

In an emotional video update previously posted on Katelynn’s social media accounts, family friends and TikTok stars Brielle Matranga and her husband Carson explained the events surrounding the crash. Brielle said: “Katelynn, Jaelan, and Preston were involved in an accident. Paisley, you guys know Paisley, she was at school at the time, she was not in the vehicle. We don't know all the details yet but the truck veered to the right off the interstate and struck a tree, and unfortunately Preston didn’t make it."

Describing the parents’ injuries, Brielle added: “Katelynn and Jaelan are severely injured. Katelynn has multiple broken bones. She had a very bad concussion. She walked for the first time today. Jaelan had to have emergency surgery on one of his legs. He has rods, pins in them. They’re both at different hospitals.”

A GoFundMe page has been launched to help cover Katelynn and Jaelan’s medical expenses and other associated costs. The organisers wrote: "The medical expenses, coupled with the overwhelming grief of losing their child, have placed an immense burden on them. Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a significant difference." More than $54,000 has been raised on the page at the time of writing, on the morning of Thursday May 1.