LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — In 1974, Dean Wenrich, 13, worked at Overlook Roller Rink in Lancaster County seven days a week where he fulfilled multiple roles including janitorial duties.
Then, life happened. He met his wife, they had their first child and he worked two full-time jobs. Wenrich had to push Overlook Roller Rink to the back burner.
Wenrich, now 60 and works Lancaster City's Lead Hazard Control Program, has returned to the skating rink, but now a local star. Wenrich, also known as #ShuffleDad has over a million views on his daughter's TikTok account skating through Overlook Roller Rink.
You can see him gliding on the rink's golden brown floors to DMX's "Ruff Ryders Anthem" Van Mcoy's "The Hustle" and Lipps Inc's "Funky Town" and more.
Wenrich said it only took a week before his daughter's first TikTok went viral. He said during breakfast, his daughter told him the TikTok had exploded on the platform — quickly rising to 2.7 million views.
"The comments were 99.9 percent all positive from all over the world," said Wenrich. "It was more, you know, wow this makes me feel good. This is hypnotic. This inspires me to go out and skate again, " Wenrich said.
Wenrich now has over 10 million combined views on TikTok.
Wenrich said he is flattered by how the platform's younger audience embraced him. Last weekend, Wenrich said four girls with his granddaughter at the skating rink recognized him from TikTok.
Wenrich encourages families to skate for a fun activity during the pandemic.
"TikTok is fun. Skating is fun," said Wenrich. It's a good family exercise that they can go out. Get some good exercise and listen to some good music hopefully and just get out in the open."