Brandon girl’s indulgent First Communion wine chug goes viral

Stephanie Heidebrink is still trying to figure out exactly what was going through her daughter’s head a week ago as 7-year-old Brynley approached the altar for her First Communion.

And more than 25 million other people likely have wondered the same thing after a video of the second grader liberally sampling what Catholics believe is the consecrated wine changed into the blood of Christ has gone viral.

“We’d had a run-through – a two-hour retreat that morning to go through everything and practice,” Heidebrink said.

Brynley, who her mom describes as a “spitfire” of a girl, was “very excited” about the big event, though “a little nervous.”

“And right before she went up there … she asked, ‘How much do I drink?’”

Heidebrink replied: “Tip it until it touches your lips, and then you’re done. You don’t even have to take a sip.”

But neither mom nor daughter can quite explain what happened next at Risen Savior Parish in Brandon. As the Rev. Andrew Young hands Brynley the chalice of communion wine, she proceeds to sip for a solid 12 seconds, even as the priest gestures to indicate she can wrap it up.

“I was shocked,” Heidebrink said. “I watched her for 10 seconds keep drinking, and I’m like, what is she doing?”

She had debated taking a video of the moment – “after all, we’re in a church” – but hit record after she saw other parents doing it.

“Thank God, I did,” Heidebrink said. “She just nonchalantly walks back. The whole church is laughing.”

To be clear: This was not grape juice.

At her Brandon Steakhouse celebratory dinner, Brynley showed a few signs of her indulgence, her mom said.

“Her cheeks were pretty flush,” Heidebrink said, still laughing. “She was a little talkative.”

So what happened?

“I still keep asking,” she said. “I was like, ‘Why did you drink so much?’ And she said, ‘I just forgot’ and shrugged.”

Did she like it?

“No.”

“But she got her spaghetti and downed her plate, and she slept good that night,” Heidebrink continued.

When Heidebrink got home, she shared the video and tagged family and friends on social media.

Then she went to TikTok, where she has an account that she generally uses to post fun snippets from work – where she serves as a flight nurse for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, or NICU, at Avera McKennan.

She subsequently has done two versions – one with the original audio and another with the Kreepa song “Oh no” in the background. Within hours, she had hundreds of thousands of views. As of May 2, they had combined for 25 million views.

“It’s such a great laugh,” she said. “That night, people are just texting me it’s the funniest things they’ve seen, they’ve watched it 10 times already.”

Then came media attention. The “Today” show ran the clip over the weekend. “Newsweek” did a story, and other entertainment shows have reached out. Heidebrink has been approached multiple times asking to buy the rights to it.

“Nope. Not interested,” she said. “I’m just interested in sharing this great video of my daughter.”

And here’s the rest of the story: It’s not even the first time this family has experienced a memorable moment at First Communion.

Heidebrink didn’t think anything could top when Brynley’s older brother, Jameson, made his First Communion at Risen Savior four years ago.

“After he took his, he announced (to the entire church) the wine tasted worse than Bud Lite Lime,” she said.

“That’s my husband’s favorite beer, so I’m sure he’s snuck a sip. And I’m like oh my, God. They’re going to think I’m serving alcohol to my children.”

Fast-forward four years, and, “of course, my children have to have a spectacle,” she said. “I’m surprised we’re not kicked out of this church.”

Not even close. When the family returned for Mass on Sunday, Father Young “greeted us on the way out, and I said it’s a good thing there’s no wine today,” Heidebrink said. “He started laughing and gave Brynley a hug and was like, ‘We’re famous!’ and she thought it was so cool he was so great about it.”

For her parents, it’s all about perspective. Heidebrink’s day job brings her a continual reminder of what matters most with kids.

“One hundred percent,” she said. “My husband and I are like, pick your battles. We want to raise them right, and this is funny, and we’re going to roll with it,” she said.

“I just said, ‘Brynley, it’s OK. That’s how mom drinks wine. Don’t worry about it. You’re just like me.’”