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Claim: A viral social media post claims that a Chinese gym coach identified as “Huang Mao” died after falling ten floors when he was caught having an affair with a client.
Verdict: Misleading! DUBAWA found that the claim is based on an old 2023 incident that has been recycled online with a sensational, unverified cheating narrative. Evidence shows the footage predates the current viral posts, while there is no credible proof that the man was a “gym coach” escaping from an affair-related encounter.
Full Text
A dramatic video showing a blond-haired man dangling from the exterior of a high-rise apartment building before falling has gone viral across multiple social media platforms, with claims that he was a Chinese gym coach named “Huang Mao” attempting to flee after allegedly sleeping with a client.
One of the most widely circulated versions of the claim was posted on X by the verified account Trending Explained (@TrendingEx) on May 28, 2026. The account captioned the video:
“Trending Video: A Chinese gym coach, Huang Mao, who was having an affair with a client, was stranded after her husband returned home earlier than expected. He tried escaping through the window, but lost his grip and fell 10 floors to his painful death.”
At the time DUBAWA reviewed the post, it had generated approximately 7.5 million views, more than 55,000 likes, about 21,000 reshares, and approximately 3,600 comments, indicating significant reach and public engagement.
Meanwhile, the claim also appeared on Facebook, where screenshots show users reposting the same narrative. One Facebook upload by an account identified as Mark Polido had generated roughly 5,000 reactions, about 739 comments, and approximately 3,400 shares at the time of review.
Nonetheless, the virality extended beyond X and Facebook, with users reposting clips and screenshots on Instagram, YouTube, and Threads, where the story continued attracting engagement and commentary.
Additionally, the comment sections across platforms repeated the affair narrative, mocked the victim, or debated the circumstances of the fall, helping the claim travel further.
The sensational nature of the allegation, combined with the disturbing visuals and high engagement metrics, prompted DUBAWA to investigate whether the widely circulated narrative was factual.
Verification
DUBAWA traced the story behind the viral claim, and a report published by a Taiwanese Yahoo News outlet indicates that the incident dates back to 2023, contradicting posts that present it as a recent case involving a cheating gym coach. The report suggests that the circumstances surrounding the incident were later distorted through online speculation and alleged whistleblower accounts.
DUBAWA also found that “Huang Mao” does not necessarily identify a confirmed individual. In Mandarin, the phrase can refer to “yellow hair” or “blond-haired,” suggesting it may have been used as a descriptive nickname based on appearance rather than the gym instructor’s confirmed identity.
Also, X’s AI chatbot Grok dismissed the claim, stating:
“No, it’s not true. This is a viral hoax/misinfo spreading today. The video is from April 2023 in Chengdu. It shows a man (nicknamed ‘Huang Mao’/yellow hair) who climbed onto a window ledge and fell. Reports at the time linked it to mental health issues or scaring his girlfriend, not a gym coach caught cheating. The ‘Huang Mao fitness coach affair’ story is completely fabricated and attached to the old clip for clicks. No credible news confirms it.”
The videos were originally circulated on Chinese social media platforms Weibo and Douyin in 2023 and predate the current viral claims by several years.
Furthermore, no credible evidence, authority, or authentic media organisation has independently confirmed the viral allegation that the man was a gym coach. Instead, evidence suggests social media users attached an unverified backstory to an older video and reshared it for attention and engagement.
Conclusion
DUBAWA found that the viral claim alleging that a Chinese gym coach named “Huang Mao” died after falling from a building while escaping a client’s apartment after an affair is misleading. Although the video has recently amassed millions of views and thousands of interactions across X, Facebook, and other platforms, the footage dates back to 2023.
