Familial update: Fascinating story and I am so impressed with Mark’s sincerity and gentle nature with them. As an amateur genealogist I was intrigued about their lineage, so I dove in. For anyone else also curious, it seems that the parents of this clan were indeed first cousins, but to complicate it further, and something I have yet to run across elsewhere in 25 years of research, they were first cousins born to IDENTICAL TWINS. Twin boys, one had a girl and one had a boy and those kiddos made this family. The parents were father John E Whittaker born to one twin brother and Gracie I Whittaker born to the other twin brother. Originating in Virginia, they moved a short distance over some years to reach nearby Odd, WVA. I pray they continue to thrive with the assistance of caring folk. And before you say “thrive?” …it’s all relative. Clearly.

I feel like if Ray was more verbal he would be telling everybody's business 😂. He's always so eager and excited to show Mark around and you can tell he understands every question. So sweet!

When he asked Kenneth “what’s your favorite memory as a kid?” And Kenneth said, “Ray” without a second of hesitation. That warmed my whole heart.

You could tell Ray not only remembers you but is thankful for what he was given seeing as he wanted to show you everything. Please protect this family at all costs.

Ray giving the tour 😭 He has such a happy heart

Ray is so full of gratitude. He doesn't miss anything. Pointing to all the renovations and improvements, the full fridge, the bed and boxspring, the T.V., the heater in the bathroom, the shed of wood, the improvement in his legs, the scratch on the car. What a character. Inspiring.

The fact that they used the money Mark gave them to improve their house, really made me emotional. They're good people born into bad circumstances

Even Lorraine opened up more. She made eye contact and smiled in her shy little way. I’m happy to know that there is a community that protects them.

When Ray opened the freezer and pointed and said CHICKEN!!! I had to rewind it a few times and hear him say it again…. 🥹 so sweet! Definitely pulled on my heart strings!!! ❤ May God bless them and keep them safe and as healthy & happy as can be. 🙏🏼

Ray showing off his new mattress and making the snoring noise made me smile

Mark literally touched a whole family. For all the people he tries to help and it doesn't work out, for whatever reason, this is a perfect example to never give up. Shout out to all the people who sent in donations as well. Inspiring.

no one talking about Ray on the bicycle?! That is the cutest most endearing thing I have ever seen

These videos humanize them. It’s impressive how they are able to communicate and the progress made in their way of life. Kudos to you for taking care.

If they ever do a remodel of their house, my husband (who is an Electrician) has offered to wire their house for free and pay for materials. Would be honored to make the 5 hour drive ❤️

I love how Ray lights up when you interact with him. He deserves to feel seen and loved!

Not only did you help improve their living situation, you've improved their outlook on life. They all look so happy to see you and are very welcoming. It's clear that they've all become much happier given the circumstances and that's what matters the most! Thank you for the updates!

Our 24 yo son has Down Syndrome and autism. He and many of his friends are very limited with their speech abilities. Thank you for helping these “kids” since their parents have died. We live in fear of what will happen to our kids when we die. It’s nice to know good people are out there.

It's so precious how Ray is pointing out everything that has changed. His bed, his bed springs, the TV, the washer, the dryer...all simple everyday objects to most, but Ray is so grateful to have them.

Betty chooses to sleep on the sofa while she makes sure that everyone else has a bed, and she doesn't complain. That speaks volumes about the kind of person she is. ❤

America should help their own people instead of starting wars all around the world

Ray is an absolute legend I love him... There's something about him I really like. He's always happy and eager and so innocent.

When Ray showed his new mattress off and doing an impression of him sleeping and snoring I just smiled so much. Bless his heart. ♥

$30,000? Wow. People are amazing. I’m so glad our donations went to this family. Couldn’t have picked a better family to bless. Thank you Mark.

I darn near cried, smiled, and laughed. What a wonderful family. I'm thankful there is still good hearted kind people like yourself helping these folks out.

I absolutely adore Ray. I find myself smiling along with him. Bless your heart for not exploiting this family and for everyone who has donated to improving their quality of life. They didn't choose this life and deserve to enjoy it.

The other people that Mark gives money to, like that girl with a tattoo on her face, squandered it. The Whittakers are the only one ones I've seen actually spend the money on necessities. Mark's taken them to Walmart where he told them they could buy ANYTHING they wanted. They chose food, dog food, clothes, and a microwave. Mark gave them money and they fixed their home up. New roof which I'm sure was desperately needed, new siding on the house, new flooring, new stove, a new mattress and box spring for Ray, a chair, a heater in the living room and one in the bathroom, a fridge full of food, a truck, and other home improvements. They only take what they need, never spending money on frivolous things. I think that's why us subscribers enjoy these videos so much. They have very little material things, but instead of feeling sorry for themselves, they are genuinely happy. They are pure of heart.

I absolutely love how proud Ray is of everything. His bed , the food in the fridge just all of it. Seeing the new things in their home and on their home makes me happy.

Ray seems like a really optimistic and positive guy, despite his lack of words. I hope they have a peaceful life.

Ray is my favorite. If he was higher on the spectrum and verbal he'd be the friendliest and have the most to say.

Clean clothes, clean bodies, new housing, and transportation. So happy to see them thriving!

As a speech-language pathologist, I would love to see Ray get linked up with an SLP to help him realize his full potential! He has so much to say!

Sad, scary, interesting and fascinating. They may be perceived by the outside world as the 'lowest of the low', yet look how happy, healthy, kind and caring they are! Absolutely beautiful. We can learn a lot from them. God bless them and bless Mark for helping them and showing us who they really are❤.

When you just asked is ray happy, and the sound he made warmed my heart man.. such precious people that deserve nothing but love and happiness.

Ray is actually really smart. He’s just non-verbal but he understands everything.

I've never seen them so active, actually, the entire family standing. They appear much happier and alert. Thanks, Mark. Btw, I enjoyed seeing you being interviewed on No Jumper!

You can tell how close of a family they are when they all choose to live right next to each other. Ray seems like a sweetheart showing you all the new thing he is grateful for. Interesting how he faces such obstacles to communicating yet also seemed the most engaging imo. Another thing that stuck out to me was how well cared for their dogs were despite not having a lot themselves. Gotta appreciate fellow dog lovers.❤

What you have done for this family is a blessing

RAY!! My face literally LIT up when I saw him! He’s definitely the celebrity of the family lol☺️ God please look after this family 🙏🏾

Clearly he has EARNED their trust & that in itself says volumes!

Ray be telling all the business forreal!😂 He shows everything! I just love how good they are doing❤

They're so gentle. It's beautiful. They didn't ask to be here. I hope they are alright STILL, today. 😇

Ray is the most talkative none verbal person and I love it! He is very happy and telling on everything.

This family looks so much happier and healthier than the last time we saw them. Thanks for continuing to bring happiness and comfort to these folks.

I just adore Ray, he knows exactly what you’re saying and communicates so well for his circumstances. I’m proud of them ❤

I absolutely love that you’re not there simply to gawk but to help. You and your team treat them with such kindness, dignity and respect. They are people, not sideshows. Much love to you and yours!! Merry Christmas! 🎁🎄 ❤

Ray may not be verbal, but he stays blasting his family’s business 😂 pointing at the truck and showing where they hit the deer. I love ray 😊

Ray is SO EXCITED to see you! He's got a child like innocence. There's such a big difference now compared to the 1st cpl videos. You've given them a better life... may all be blessed!

This made my heart so warm❤ I smiled the whole video. Thank you for helping them out. The fact that they chose to do all these improvements with the money you gave them says a lot. God bless them ❤

Ray needs his own show, he definitely has that charisma God bless this family

Betty is an amazing woman. She promised her mama that she'd stay back to care for the others, giving up her own chance at love, marriage and children. God Bless her! BETTY NEEDS A REAL BED!!

It's so sweet how Ray gets so excited and wants to show Mark things. Mark has been a blessing for this family. You can certainly tell they love animals!

I just heard about this family today. I immediately became interested in them. May God continue to bless them and Mark too for being so kind and generous to them. I love Ray such a sweet man.

I love how Kenneth was very patient and supportive of Ray. ❤❤❤

Ray is DEFINITELY the star of the show , out here living his best life no matter what 😂❤

The Whittaker's have blossomed. Their whole demeanor has changed. Smiles are genuine and filled with hope. Mark, I watched some videos of how you decided on a career change and your personal evloution. You changed your life and the dominos began to fall. The inspiration and optimism has flowed to many of your viewers and certainly to the Whittaker's. I would be willing to bet not only have their lives been enriched, but almost certainly extended as well. Kudos to you Mark. Your humble, non-judgmental style makes it easy for this merry band of misfits to not just survive but thrive. If our goal in life was to enrich one life along our journey the world would be a far kinder place. Changing the world one Whittaker at a time. Mad respect!

Love what this man does for the less fortunate love the channel- love from Ireland 🇮🇪

I love these people so much. Would be wonderful if other people in the world were so kind. Thanks for your coverage of them Mark.❤

I think the Whittaker’s have adopted Mark and made him family. It’s so cool to see them happy and healthy ❤️❤️

When Kenneth was asked his favourite memory as a kid and then points to Ray, my heart melted. They have a very close bond!

Ray is my favorite Whittaker. He is so observant and full of life. He has a big heart and a beautiful soul. One day he will have no disabilities in heaven. I will meet him there. You can plainly see the care and love that this family has for each other. God bless S W U for all the support that has been shown to the Whittaker family.

You have truly changed this unique, kind families life! God bless the whittakers!! ❤

Ray is very capable of communicating in his own way. The fallen tree, the damage to the truck, how comfy his bed is. It’s amazing what he can say without words.

I didn't realize how emotionally invested I am in this story of the Whittaker family until just now when I got legit excited to see a new post about them.

I said help them in your last video of them, and I come to this video to find out you did. Thank you. To see how much better they’re doing compared to the last video, brings me to tears. I would love to meet these people.

It was heartwarming to watch this family; they are good- hearted people (that they treat their dogs well tells me all I need to know about them) that look out for each other, are genuinely honest and grateful for little things in life (as everyone should be). Ray's smile when Mark asked him if he's happy is priceless! And Betty with her little dog and soft smile on her face all the time! ♥

What a big difference from them hiding in the beginning, to talking over one another to tell you the exciting things they have done with your generosity! You truly have made a difference in their lives. This is a prime example of making the best out of a situation! I love this update!!

I have such a soft spot in my heart for Ray. He reminds me of an innocent child. No anger or malice, just happy to be alive and enjoy other’s company ❤️

This is an awesome thing you're doing Mark. You and your viewers are helping these ppl out tremendously.

This video brings happy tears to my eyes. It’s a shame they isn’t more kind hearted souls in the world. Most people would judge this family in this situation through no fault of their own. As a former support worker to learning disabilities I emphasise for this family with their difficulties. I’ve worked with individuals who have very little communication skills all of their life and it’s unbelievable how many people think they lack emotional intelligence. The comment section is stunning, the community coming together and been supportive and understanding. The world needs more of that. Ray brings a huge smile to my face 😊

The fact they use the money for food and improving rheir life and not gambling, drinking or drugs is terrific and I hope people continue to support them. It's not their fault their parents had this mentality.

I love these people. With all of their afflictions, when they were given money they went out and bought absolute necessities that better their lives. Smarter than a large portion of America.

A very respectful interviewer. Despite them having their fair share of adversity and troubles,they seem very contented with their life. Lovely wee tiny homes and at least they have each other ❤

Normally people would frown upon an inbred family but these guys are always so happy an upbeat even with the hand they have been dealt and they don’t bother anyone they are lovely people ❤

What I noticed above the home improvements was the medical care they seemed to be receiving now. They mentioned the Dr. several times and Rays knee seems a bit better. Having transportation to the grocery store shows they’ve been getting better nutrition and new clothes. They look a lot healthier. So happy for them.

The way trust has been built here is so beautiful. They went from being reserved in the beginning, not answering questions, to being so open and inviting seem to trust Mark completely now 😊

One of the best video series on youtube, period. Real shit

Thank you Mark for being a wonderful human being. Thank you for caring about the Whittaker family, they clearly look so happy when they see you, you and the go fund me really helped them fixing up their house. Ray is a sweetheart and loves to point and show you everything, it’s such a shame he can’t speak, he’s such a character. Betty does a great job in taking care of everyone, my god that can’t be easy. Last but not least, thank you for sharing their story.

I love how respectful Mark’s style is - I don’t ever see him being condescending or telling them how to live their lives. He simply lets them tell their story and allows others to donate/contribute how they are moved to give. People don’t always live the prettiest lives, but we can listen to them and care for them nonetheless.

To Mark and everybody who donated to these folks,bless your hearts. The world needs more people like y'all.

Ray continues to blow my mind; he clearly has a great sense of humor, he SNORED when pointing to the bed after showing the mattresses and pointing to himself, then he freakin opened the freezer and said “chicken!” That guy is way more communicative than I’d ever realized, you just have to be watch him for a little while before you understand how he does what he does. This family is wonderful and fascinating, and I hope they’re all doing well

Mark, I'm so sorry for the crap you have gone through for just being a kind person and helping people. This is crazy Thank you for helping people. may God bless you

you guys who donated and helped in anyway are amazing

I’m with David Cobb on this one. I’m a IICRC Certified technician. I do repairs, demo, mold remediation, bio remediation. I’m from Indiana but am in that area a lot being I have family there. I’m willing to donate time as well.

Im glad you raised money and helped these people. They all are getting older and compassion is important this day and age.

ray seems like a great dude. not intelligent as some people are saying in the comments, but intelligent enough to understand and comprehend things. that combined with his very excited, very "talkative" personality despite not being able to talk is something awesome. very passionate about some things, and to be honest, my favorite conversations are with people who just show me things they like and go on and on happy to explain. these passionate people dont even care if you don't know anything about what they are talking about, but love that you are listening very much. same kind of energy i get from ray. guy who uploaded makes an effort to understand what ray is trying to tell him, and the moment he realizes he understood, he gets so excited and happy. i think that it is contagious even in video form and why people in the comments like him a bunch. these kinds of people are just so nice to talk to.

You can tell Ray is feeling better... I swear I heard him say "chicken" when they was looking in the freezer. Then when he pointed at his bed and made a snoring sound lol and he made that happy squeal when Mark asked if he was happy. Glad to see them doing good!

is anyone going to mention that even with this condition, these people can take good care of the dogs...love that !

Story of Kenneth: we saw him first time when the family was in Walmart. He then stated that he never visited the rest of his family. Then suddenly, we see him in this video moved in with the family. I bet that he got to know about the money that came along with Mark and wanted a cut of it. You can hear him say straight away and repetadly that he had run out of money fixing the house. He says that a lot in this video. I really hope he stays with the family and helps them even when the money stops coming in and the curioustiy for the family slows down. There is no doubt in my mind he came back to the family because of the «fame» and money.

Quit commenting about their gofundme page! They KNOW already.... This is NOT their fault by any means. It is so saddening. Bless their hearts.

Mark caught some grief for doing this series, but the end results speak volumes. Well done.

Rays reaction when you asked if he was happy just melted my heart. He’s obviously a lot smarter than he’s given credit for and understands quite a bit.

Ray shows us that no matter what you’re going through in life, your outlook is what makes your life great.

I love how the Whittaker family cares for 6 dogs. They are clean and well-kempt. This family may have trials and tribulations, but they are decent, hard-working and compassionate. They are, morally speaking, head and shoulders above many people today.

This is probably the best life Ray could have. He is loved, cared for, free and he lives in a beautiful environment.

That’s the first time I have seen Ray fully communicate a response, he showed his bed, how it was made, said it was his and showed us him snoring. Brilliant

From now on, I'm going to try and remember to give myself a mental slap whenever I'm feeling down and sorry for myself. I'm very fortunate. Lord, be with this family and keep them safe.

I love that the interviewer treated this family and even the clearly disabled person with dignity and respect. It’s really too bad that people can’t treat each other like this every day.

Ray screamed out “CHICKEN!” When he opened the freezer & I lost it! 😂😂😂 I swear I love his spirit!

I loved seeing Ray being mobile again. He seemed to be in so much physical pain in the last video, which broke my heart. This was a great update. Thanks for all that you do, Mark.

I’d love to see big building companies and home designers come together to do up the house for the Whittakers. Instead of giving them the money just do the whole house up for them 🙏🏽