‘Invisible string theory is so real’: Woman notices a ‘random guy’ in an old video. Then she realizes who he is

A woman’s TikTok video reveals her future fiancé unexpectedly appeared in the background of an old video of her friends.

Audrey Roberts (@audreysadventures24) was organizing her phone’s media when she discovered a video from a past sporting event. The footage, intended to capture her best friend Abby and her partner, held an unexpected surprise: a man in the background who would later become her fiancé. 

Roberts shared this chance find on TikTok, where it quickly garnered 4.6 million views and over 107.5K likes. She captioned the video, “She doesn’t know it yet, but the random guy that looks at her in the background of this video will end up being her fiancé and she will quit her job and move across the world with him.”

In the caption to the video, she added, “The invisible string theory is so real because I had no idea who the guy in the background (black suit dark hair) of the video was when I took this and we didn’t meet until months later.”

In an interview with Newsweek, Roberts shared her astonishment upon recognizing Ethan in the video. She recounted sending it to him, highlighting the video’s date, which was before their official meeting. Both were taken aback by the coincidence. They met again properly three months later through connections within their friend groups.

Their relationship advanced rapidly according to their interview with Newsweek. Roberts was a nurse for seven years near her hometown in South Carolina and moved to Budapest, Hungary to be with Ethan when his job as a professional hockey player took him there.

Roberts’ TikTok follows the popular ‘she doesn’t know it yet’ TikTok trend, where users share past moments unaware of their future significance. This trend often focuses on life’s random events, showcasing moments that lead to unforeseen outcomes. 

@audreysadventures24 The invisible string theory is so real because I had no idea who the guy in the background (black suit dark hair) of the video was when I took this and we didn’t meet until months later (I was the one filming the video of my friend and her bf now fiancé)🥹😭 thanks to @abby Westlund ❤️😭 second video filmed by @sarahguberphotography 🤍#invisiblestring #shedoesntknowityet #trending #fyp #howwemet #Love #engaged #Relationship #hockey #hockeylife ♬ DIM – Yves

Folks in the comments shared experiences similar to Roberts’, as well as comments of support. They all agreed with her note in the caption that this was her “invisible string theory” moment.

What is the invisible string theory?

The invisible string theory is also known as the red string of fate in East Asian folklore. It suggests that we are connected to our soulmates by an invisible string. These people are destined to meet, regardless of time or place. This thread may stretch or tangle but never breaks, symbolizing inevitable connections. Taylor Swift’s song “Invisible String” from her 2020 album Folklore explores this idea. Her song then inspired a TikTok trend where couples share instances of their lives intertwining before officially meeting. 

What is the ‘she doesn’t know it yet’ trend?

The ‘she doesn’t know it yet’ trend, meanwhile, features folks posting videos capturing moments before significant life events. They are often accompanied by the caption starting with “She doesn’t know it yet but…” followed by the event’s revelation. Many of the videos bring up difficult stories, from life-altering injuries to loss of loved ones, while others bring up the joyful moments. Other funny versions include videos talking about how ‘She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s going to have to do her job that she is paid for,” or similar messages.

TikToker @audreysadventures24 did not immediately respond to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via TikTok direct message.

The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here to get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.