Black dad brings awareness with Hot Car Challenge video

Terry Bartley
Terry Bartley

Terry Bartley is a black dad from North Carolina who has a serious concern; children dying from being left in hot cars. Last month he was so upset about the death of Cooper Harris, a Georgia toddler left to die in a hot car that he took action. Bartley recorded a YouTube video of himself locked in his car with the windows rolled up and the temperature soaring to 90 degrees outside.

In the video, Terry sweats profusely and describes his level of extreme discomfort. Bartley says in the video “I want to know how it feels to be left in the car, sitting in the back seat, strapped into a car seat with the windows up and doors probably locked.”


He warns parents not to be “the next fools on the news” for leaving their child in a locked car. Now his video has gone viral and has been viewed over 11 million times. He has appeared on Good Morning America and his story has been featured on major media outlets. In addition, videos are popping up all over the internet of other parents taking the hot car challenge and warning others not let their children or animals suffer in a locked car. So far this summer more than 17 children have died from heatstroke after being left in a hot car.

Terry Bartley’s original video appears below:


[jwplayer mediaid=”651773″]

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