Chicago TikTok's ToeKnee Corrado brought fans laughter, even through cancer treatment

I'll age myself by stating this, but I used to cringe whenever I saw people dance on TikTok. I blame the song selections and me not wanting to give famous people more attention than they already had.

In June 2022, though, there was a particular TikTok dance video I watched multiple times and eagerly sent to three different group chats. It was definitely because of the song choice, and because I wanted to share the same joy and laughter the video brought me with others.

The video starts off like part of the "what song are you listening to" trend, then delivers an unexpected, comedic and musically nostalgic twist. We see Anthony Corrado walking and when tennis balls fall from a loose bag, someone alerts him, he removes his headphones and says, "Oh, my gosh. I always wanted to be in one of these. ... Um, it is 'Down' by Jay Sean featuring Lil Wayne."

The next 40 seconds has Corrado dancing to the 2009 single like it's the last dance of his life — choreographing movements that perfectly reflect the lyrics in the silliest of ways. It was different from the typical put-together, influencer-in-a-mansion TikTok. It was innocent, welcoming and the type of vulnerably goofy a person only gets with a close and trusted friend. The video has 2.4 million likes and 9.8 million views, and was his first viral hit of that size.

I was a fan, and kept a close eye on Corrado's work — where he puts on elaborate skits, but still treats us to a dance, every now and then — especially when I found out he was someone in Chicago. What no one knew, not even Corrado, was that his lighthearted videos soon would be taking a serious turn.

Meeting ToeKnee

Somehow — through the mysterious chemistry of how this universe works — I found myself at the same Christmas party as @ToeKneeCorrado last year. I did not talk business that night, but silently observed who he was as a person. I was immediately convinced he was good. Not by his behavior, but by how much he was loved and supported by his longtime friends.

While he was sitting on the couch, Corrado listened closely to a song playing in the background and proclaimed to the room that he had an idea for a funny video. While I was still processing his outline, his friends were already on board to help make it a reality. That video currently has 3.7 million views and over 600,000 likes.

His talent for being comfortable on camera and creating viral hits in 15 minutes can be traced back to when he grew up in Glen Ellyn.

"My mom would videotape everything. And I got to a certain age where I started picking up the camcorder and making skits but would not upload them anywhere," said Corrado, who is 27 and now lives in Avondale. "[Then] I started making YouTube videos with my friends in the sixth grade. They were goofy videos that we put on YouTube and all our friends would see."

Corrado at first saw his videos becoming popular with his high school classmates on Facebook, but got the viral formula down when TikTok and his girlfriend came into his life right before COVID lockdown.

He saw an opportunity when introduced to TikTok — the first social media app to push content to people whether they followed you or not. And then got consistent with posting videos thanks to Ashley Lorenz, a former special education teacher turned social media videographer who also plays the off-camera "grounded in reality" person Corrado's characters can bounce off and improvise with.

His videos, made with girlfriend Lorenz's help, were getting 100,000 to 200,000 views. And then came the "Down" viral TikTok.

"It was mind-boggling to me because I would spend hours editing a 45-second video ... and we literally spent 10 minutes filming this video and this was bigger than anything we've ever done," Corrado said.

With the views and likes and shares came more followers, brand deals and even a collaboration with Joe Jonas. Almost a year after blowing up on TikTok, Corrado was still processing his success and his followers were starting to get used to his content, when he posted a video that didn't align with his usual feel-good vibes.

"I have cancer," Corrado updated his followers.

‘Shocked, scared and sad’

Originally, after noticing a lump, Corrado thought he would just require hernia surgery. After further inspection, doctors diagnosed him with lymphoma in May 2023.

The next 24 hours after diagnosis had Corrado processing a whirlwind of emotions. He thought about how cancer was going to disrupt his busy life, his videos and career. But his family's history with cancer was something that helped him cling to hope.

"There still was the fear of dying and everything, but I knew [lymphoma] wasn't a stranger to me," Corrado said. "I know my cousin had it, and I thought, 'If she can go through it, I'm sure I can.' And I know if my dad can go through that, I'm sure I can, too."

And when it came to his career? He decided to keep doing exactly what he was doing before.

"Don't lose touch or sight of what you're doing. That was the goal," he said. "Because I'm making funny videos, I want people to laugh. So don't change that up just because you're sick. Blend it all together. It's also a good distraction."

And that was reflected on his social channels — a mix of singing, dancing, awkward skits, health updates and lymphoma awareness events. Corrado went into remission in November 2023, but even then, he shared his reality of the difficulties of getting back to his old self post-treatment.

That was another side of Corrado his followers appreciated. He said he was struggling not just from looking at the effects chemotherapy and medication had on his physical appearance, but also mentally, thinking, "You just beat cancer, how can you not be happy?"

“These patients, even though they are cured, they still live with long-term symptoms of cancer therapy," said Dr. Sudha Yarlagadda, an assistant professor of medicine with a hematology and oncology specialty at UChicago Medicine. "As patients are living longer, it has become a hot topic in cancer. But the goal is to go back to your normal life, especially if you're young."

Whether the cancer aftermath is affecting a patient's anxiety, finances, nutrition or mental and sexual health, Yarlagadda says the best way to go through with it is to talk about it, either with like-minded people in a support group or with your doctor who can refer you to other helpful services.

Back to the future

Just as his friends and loved ones would tell him if his videos were good or not, they're the same support system that reminds him of what he's accomplished and hype him up for what creative project is next.

"They give me the closest reflection to reality that I sometimes can't give myself," he said. "So, whether I'm feeling depressed about my videos not doing well or depressed about how my body looks ... My family, my friends are all reminders that this doubt and the fear isn't real."

Creatively, Corrado doesn't see himself leaving TikTok. He enjoys the personal connection with his fan base. But he does have aspirations for bigger productions in comedy and horror (yes, horror) that would be longer than 40 seconds and require more than an iPhone.

Whether it's a skit or a movie — looking at his taste in music, I bet the soundtrack will slap.

Write to Someone in Chicago at someoneinchicago@suntimes.com.