TikTok is currently captivated by the “cave diver” meme, a trend that uses skits and image macros to humorously exaggerate the mindset of cave divers and the risks they take. These videos often depict cave divers as thrill-seekers ready to squeeze into impossibly tight spaces, underscoring the perceived absurdity and inherent dangers of their hobby.

What fuels this trend?

The meme’s origins can be traced back to discussions surrounding the tragic Nutty Putty Cave Incident of 2009, in which John Edward Jones died after becoming trapped in a Utah cave. Interest in the incident resurfaced in 2023 following a viral tweet featuring a related photo, sparking renewed conversations.

Over time, creators began reinterpreting the incident’s grim backstory, transforming it into a humorous commentary on the extreme risks cave divers willingly undertake. By early 2025, the trend had gained momentum on TikTok.

Key examples of the trend:

• On February 10, TikTok user ‘sharvq’ posted a video captioned, “Cave divers after finding literally 1 inch of crawl space”. Set to an instrumental of Xaviersobased’s song ‘Vibrator,’ the clip quickly gained traction, amassing over 1.5 million likes and establishing the sound as the trend’s signature audio.
• Another content creator, ‘igotstinkyfeet,’ shared a clip where he examines his sink before cutting to a shot of two shoes sticking out, humorously suggesting he’s crawled inside the drain. The video received over 2.5 million views.
• On February 8th, 2025, TikToker @bigmoneyjaytee posted a video skit with a caption reading, “Cave divers for no reason,” showing himself measuring the crack beneath his fridge, then cutting to a pair of shoes sticking out of the crevice. The video gained over 1.4 million likes in six days.

This meme explores the mindset of extreme cave divers, humorously imagining their thought process when encountering a dangerously tight crevice. It playfully suggests that, for them, no gap is too small to attempt squeezing through.