One Utah teen has turned the painful experience of getting dumped into internet gold.
Eighteen-year-old Hope Barlow (@hopey.barlow) got an unwelcome surprise in her inbox last October. Her boyfriend, who is on a mission trip, broke up with her in an email.
It was a huge surprise.
“There definitely was not very many signs that he was feeling that way,” Barlow told the Daily Dot on Friday. “But I do respect the fact that he wants to focus on his missionary work and his relationship with God.”
Both are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often shortened to LDS or the Mormon church.
Although she concedes it was hurtful, not to mention shocking, Barlow couldn’t help but be amused by the email. Her ex referred to the breakup as a “revelation,” called her his “forbidden fruit” and a “great and spacious building.” “Not that you’re large,” he added helpfully.
“The email was so ridiculous it was hard to be super hurt by it,” Barlow said.
She read it to some friends. Then she read it to the theater director at her high school. The director said it sounded like a comedic monologue.
And thus, internet history would be made.
Turning heartbreak into art
Although he’d written that she could share the email with anyone, Barlow says she had no intention of using the email as a monologue at first.
But when it came time to choose a monologue months later, she came up empty. When she told her director, they again suggested Barlow use the email.
Not wanting to step on his toes, Barlow asked her ex if he minded. She says he gave his blessing.
After the regional competition, Barlow posted a TikTok with a cheeky on-screen caption that says “when he breaks up with me so I monologue his breakup email at a theatre competition.”
The people of TikTok were amused, but not satisfied. They wanted to see the tape.
Alas, Barlow didn’t have one.
All hope was not lost, however. Barlow scored high enough to make it to the state competition. She would have a second chance to immortalize the breakup email.
This time, she got a friend to record her monologue.
Millions are glad that she did.
Give the people what they want
In the TikTok from the state monologue competition, Barlow, clad in a dress shirt and tie, begins by explaining her mission. “I will be portraying my actual ex-boyfriend,” she says.
Hope takes a seat at a table with an Apple laptop on it, assuming the classic manspreading pose.
Laughter starts seconds into her performance.
“Hope Barlow,” she begins in the role of her ex, “a name that, to me, literally means hope.”
“I want to be able to devote 100,116% of my love, and work, and devotion to this work, which is why I’m here. Not to be thinking about home but having this experience,” Barlow continues.
She reads that it doesn’t change his feelings, and that it hurts him that he can’t be there for her.
“You are my great and spacious building. Not that you’re large,” she says, prompting a wave of laughter.
“Right now, I am Eve, and you are my forbidden fruit.”
The audience cracks up when Barlow reads him describe dumping her as storing “these feelings in a gallon resealable bag and put[ting] them in the freezer” and “put[ting] these feelings on a backburner, put[ting] a lid on the pot, let[ting] it simmer there.”
Later, she says, “I wanna make her cry, but like, holy tears.”
“You can share this message with whoever you want because this is my proclamation that I will stand as a witness to truth … and that 100,116% of my heart is going to these people,” she reads near the end of the four-minute TikTok.
Everyone’s invited to a party in the comments
Barlow’s TikTok was an instant classic. In the four days since she posted it, it’s racked up over 8 million views.
“He said: ‘you can share this with whoever you want,’ and you took that to heart, and the stage,” wrote one amused observer.
“The fact he goes to the same school and people know him, makes this 100,116% better,” joked another fan of the email.
Many people were thrilled to know that word of the performance would get back to him. It’ll take a while, though. Barlow said that his mission doesn’t allow him to use TikTok, and he blocked her on Facebook a few months ago. She also changed his name and omitted some personal details that could identify him.
Several complimented Barlow’s manspreading for adding a little je ne sais quoi.
A few suggested that they’re familiar with similar correspondence from Mormon missionaries.
“Noooo not the Mormon missionary email,” wrote one. Another called it “the most missionary email ever.”
People had a grand time referencing their favorite parts.
“The ‘you are my forbidden fruit’ has me,” one jested.
“‘I just have to put these feelings in a gallon resealable bag and throw em in the freezer’ will live in my mind forever thank you,” offered another.
What’s next?
Barlow has taken the virality of the video in stride. The influx of followers has boosted her account enough that she was able to apply for the creator fund.
“I am gaining a larger following of people to support me because I did something petty,” she said, laughing.
She says that thus far, she’s opted not to tell her ex because she doesn’t want to rub it in.
While her ex may not be aware that he is famous by association, she realizes that eventually he will find out.
“I really doubt he’s going to see the video of his own accord, but definitely when he’s home. That’s going to be an interesting conversation,” she said.
She said she’s planning to continue creating content as she gets ready to attend Brigham Young University next year.
Barlow says his mission ends in June 2026 and that he also will be attending BYU, which she said was “so awkward.”
“I’m really glad I changed his name,” she laughed.
The email saga brought the teen a lot of laughs—she’s been reading all the comments—a bunch of new followers, and taught her a valuable life lesson.
“It’s helped me realize that art is one of the healthiest ways to cope.”
@hopey.barlow Replying to @user2348609148944 i know a lot of people wanted to see this HAHAHAHA disclaimer: this is in no way an attempt to make fun of his religious beliefs, i’m also a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (mormon). i thought it would be funny to monologue this because it is from his actual email, but this is in no way an attempt to hate on him or his mission. he’s a great guy and i do wish him the best, he just chooses strange metaphors. this was also monologued with his full permission!! #theatre #theatrecomp #petty ♬ original sound – hope 
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