‘He was completely crazy’: Conor Murphy’s friend reveals what happened when cameras stopped rolling
The death of fitness influencer Connor Murphy has sparked widespread mourning but has also reignited discussions about the public persona he built online. As speculation spread on social media, one of Murphy’s closest friends urged people to separate the viral figure from someone he knew in real life. After Murphy was reported to have drowned in Thailand, Austin Wynn painted a much different picture of the influencer, describing a calm, thoughtful friend rather than the unpredictable figure many viewers thought they were seeing.
Connor Murphy’s viral appearance isn’t his true character, friends say
Austin Wayne, who said he has been friends with Murphy for nearly three years, addressed the growing online discussion in a touching YouTube video. He admits it’s hard to see people reducing Murphy’s life to the controversial content that dominated his later years.According to Austin, many online comments focused on Murphy’s belief that he had become unstable. He rejected that notion, explaining that the version seen on social media does not reflect the people he interacts with every day.“A lot of people just said, ‘He’s gone completely crazy over the last six years or so,'” Austin said. But he insisted it was not a friend he knew.“You’ve seen me. You’ve seen the way I act. I’m not going to be friends with someone who’s always acting crazy,” he explained.Instead, Austin described Murphy as someone who remained very calm even in stressful situations. Recalling an incident in Thailand, he said another man tried to start a fight but Murphy refused to react.“Connor had a lot of impulse control and ultimately didn’t want to fight this guy, and he was very calm. He always has been like that. He was very, very calm.”Austin added that he was impressed by Murphy’s kindness.“He was a very nice, genuine guy.”He also recalled one of their final moments together.“I remember my last thought was, I really think what a good person Connor is. Like, I love this guy.”Austin revealed that his friendship with Murphy holds special significance as he admired the influencer years before they met.“I grew up watching his videos and I wanted to be like him. I wanted to have a physique like him, I wanted to have girls like him. I want to be a famous YouTuber like Connor Murphy. ““It meant a lot to me to be able to have a relationship, a friendship with that person,” he added.
Conor Murphy’s friends urge people to pay attention mental health rather than following online
Austin also revealed how Murphy creates content, saying many of his unusual behaviors are intentional and designed to entertain viewers rather than reflect his day-to-day personality.He recalled filming a comedy video of Murphy dressed as Maleficent at a wax museum.“He’d act really crazy. And then he’d start jumping around. Like, he’d try to make people worry about him. He’d just do it for the camera. And then he’d stop, and he’d be very, very normal after that.”According to Austin, the ability to switch between his larger-than-life online persona and his private self was something he repeatedly witnessed while filming together.He also criticized those who, in his view, used Murphy’s death to gain online engagement rather than show respect.“What I’m really sad about this whole situation is how many people seem to be just using it to gain influence.”Austin ended his message with a broader appeal, encouraging people to pay more attention to the people around them and not be attracted by appearances online.“Make sure you take care of your mental health. Check in on your brothers. Check in on your friends. Make sure everyone is in good spirits. It’s more important than appearances.”His comments added a more personal perspective to the conversation, reminding many fans that the individuals behind viral online identities can be very different from the characters audiences see on screen.
