When Derek Baker was born in 1997, his mother, Valerie, remembers a doctor reading her a list of all the things her son Derek likely would never be able to do in life because he had Down syndrome.
Twenty-five years later, Derek, a Parkway North grad and Special Olympics medal winner, has achieved international fame, reaching millions of people each week. He and his two sisters, Jenna and Katy, run a wildly successful TikTok account () and based out of their family home in Maryland Heights.
Although the sisters help behind the scenes and are personalities on the account, Derek, with his comedic timing and undeniable charisma, is the undisputed star.
“He is so happy and thriving through this,†Valerie said. “Derek having this sense of purpose and belonging, and working through BakerBanter with the girls is a godsend.â€
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A little over a month after launching in 2020, BakerBanter hit 1 million followers on TikTok. It's now up to 2.9 million.Â
“Working with my sisters is really a dream come true,†Derek said. “I’m hoping to spread positivity around the world.â€
Beginning BakerBanter
Jenna Baker always promised her younger brother that she’d make him famous. She and her family knew he was a natural showman — 25-year-old Derek always loved to make people laugh. He wanted to be famous, Jenna said, or at least reach a wider audience than his family’s living room.Â
"He's quite literally always acted like a famous person — now it's just kind of real," Jenna said with a laugh.
As fate would have it, the family’s living room ended up being exactly where millions of people first met Derek.
Part promise fulfilled, part cure for coronavirus pandemic boredom, BakerBanter launched in March 2020 and quickly exploded in popularity. The siblings initially posted four videos, including a clip of Derek’s take on a viral dance, on March 21, 2020, in honor of World Down Syndrome Day. The content was fun, light-hearted and positive — three things the siblings thought the world sorely needed at the time.
“I knew we were going to have a lot of time on our hands all of a sudden. The world could use some laughter and positivity, and I knew a guy who could provide that,†Jenna said.
Jenna, who studied broadcast journalism in college and worked in media early in her career, knew how to edit video. Katy, an undergrad at Missouri State University, understood how to create TikTok content that would resonate with viewers. Together, the sisters created an online community where Derek could be Derek, and in turn, people could see themselves in the Baker family’s experience.
THANK YOU FOR ONE MILLION!!! WE LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!
“With the platform we’ve built, it’s really awesome to know that we are changing the hearts and minds of people who never have the chance to meet somebody like Derek, but also providing hope and comfort to people who do look like us, to see people like Derek on the internet quite literally living their best lives — that’s really cool,†Jenna said.
That sort of representation deeply matters to the Baker family, who hope Derek’s success can inspire other people with Down syndrome or any disability to feel seen in the world and to chase their dreams.
“Growing up, I never saw any families that looked like ours, other than when we went to Down Syndrome Association events,†Jenna said. “There (weren't) people in the news or (on) TV, on the radio, anywhere where you could consume media — people didn’t look like us when I was younger. Now, with social media being so close to everyone’s fingertips, there’s finally this opportunity for media to become diversified in a way that it should have been for a long time. And now we can do it in a way that makes sense for our family.â€
The account also launched just as TikTok gained popularity and reached larger audiences during stay-at-home orders and quarantines. As pandemic restrictions gradually lifted and the Bakers were able to attend events around town, the family has seen the success of BakerBanter grow from the comments section to the real world, much to Derek’s delight.
“He loves when people stop him and say, ‘Oh my gosh, I follow you on TikTok!’†Valerie said. “He thinks that is the coolest thing in the world.â€
That transition also afforded Derek the opportunity to get out and share his passions and hobbies with fans from other venues — perhaps most notably, earlier this month, backstage at WrestleMania in Dallas.
Derek absolutely ADORES meeting his fans!!
Wrestling with success
A few years ago, before the pandemic, Derek became a die-hard fan of professional wrestling. He became interested through a friend he met at a volunteer job and was instantly hooked, especially on World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). The high-flying moves, smack-talking and larger-than-life personalities drew him in, and he began collecting wrestling DVDs and merchandise. As seen on TikTok, his WWE T-shirt collection is extensive and impressive, and he has signed posters and wrestling memorabilia scattered across his bedroom.
“The reason I love wrestling… I think it’s really passionate,†Derek said. “There’s passion in wrestling. It’s really cool.â€
He shared his pro-wrestling fandom with BakerBanter followers in the account’s early days. On April 2, 2020, to celebrate turning 23, Derek posted a video inspired by one of his favorite wrestlers, then-WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan, with the hashtag #derekturns23withWWE. He also shared videos praising his favorite wrestlers in All Elite Wrestling (AEW), including his impressions of his favorite stars across both companies.
By June 2020, Derek’s fandom had caught the attention of both WWE and AEW, with the latter even sending him a supercut of wrestlers wishing Derek well, which BakerBanter shared on TikTok. When AEW came to ºüÀêÊÓƵ in November 2021, those connections got Derek and his family backstage passes to the show.
Reply to @bennythebull Proof Derek does get starstruck, he’ll never forget this moment!!! @allelitewrestling
Earlier this year, the Bakers attended the WWE Royal Rumble at the Dome at America’s Center. BakerBanter covered both events extensively, including videos of Derek meeting his heroes backstage and his live reactions to them tussling in the ring.
Yet nothing could prepare Derek for the news he received on March 21, 2022, BakerBanter’s third anniversary on TikTok. During a live recording with “Show Me ºüÀêÊÓƵ,†Derek learned he and his family were receiving an all-expenses-paid trip to WrestleMania April 2-3 in Dallas.
Derek nailed this prediction… shoutout to @cricketwireless for helping Derek’s dreams become his reality! Check out more bts of the big surprise on the vlog
The trip, funded by Cricket Wireless, realized a longtime dream for Derek. “To be (in) Dallas (was) really freaking awesome,†Derek said. “Going to WrestleMania was a dream come true.â€
The sisters captured plenty of content at WrestleMania, including clips of Derek meeting — and talking smack with — more of his favorite Superstars. Reflecting on that whirlwind trip, Derek said one of his favorite matches was between fan favorites Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair, who won the WWE Raw Women's Championship at the event.
“To see Bianca Belair beat Becky Lynch… I was freaking losing it,†Derek said. “(When Bianca) beat Becky Lynch for the Raw Women’s Championship, it was mindblowing. I’m really happy for Bianca and I can’t wait to see her title reign.â€
The Mysterio’s may not have won but Derek was happy about being right about this one @The.CrawfordShow @mikethemiz @cricketwireless
BakerBanter followers enjoyed watching WrestleMania unfold through Derek’s eyes, and in turn, Derek loved meeting BakerBanter fans over the long weekend in Dallas.
“To meet lots of fans at WrestleMania is really awesome,†Derek said. “I’m really hoping in the future to go to (WWE’s) SummerSlam. That’s my next dream, and to see more fans. It makes me feel happy.â€
During night two of WrestleMania, Derek was approached by a fellow WWE fan with a particularly meaningful story. As Jenna recalls, the event was the first time the guy had attended a WWE event solo, and he wasn’t sure if he’d have a good time alone.
“He was emotional saying hello to Derek,†Jenna said. “He didn’t know him ahead of time, but he was near us, and he saw Derek’s passion. He said he thought this was going to be his worst wrestling event ever because he was going by himself, and he said he’s never going to forget it because he loved watching Derek have the best time of his life.â€
Pro-wrestling pits heroes against villains or the meek against the mighty to tell stories where good triumphs over evil. The heels might win a battle, but the heroes usually win the war. The underlying message is one of positivity and pursuing your dreams over everything else, which neatly aligns with the mission of BakerBanter.
The family
Reflecting on the past few years, Valerie believes BakerBanter has had a more profound effect on Derek’s life than anyone could have ever guessed.
“I think he’s done a very good job of maturing and growing and becoming more of an adult through this BakerBanter process,†Valerie said.
Thank you so much to @wwe , @special.olympics & @Dallas Cowboys for hosting an INCREDIBLE event yesterday! Our dude had a BLAST!!!
Although Derek is the star of BakerBanter and what keeps fans tuning in, the connection between the siblings and their parents also draws in viewers. It’s not hard to see why their goofy, good-natured antics caught so much attention in the early days of the pandemic, when so many people were missing connection with their own loved ones. That special family bond, in part forged by the siblings rarely seeing themselves represented in the world as kids, resonates with people near and far.
“I’m just grateful for all of the people who show us support and love,†Valerie said. “We’re just going to ride this ride and see where it takes us.â€
Jenna added, “Getting to know that the joy that we all have and the love that we all share is making (so) many people happy and feel that love through the screen, is just really…â€
She paused, and then said in unison with her mom: “Special.â€
When asked to reflect on his relationship with fans, Derek called the experience "amazing."
"I'm not the only one who gives back to fans like that," he said. "I'm just like the WWE Superstars. It feels good to be one of the stars (that fans look up to)."