Viral food critic Keith Lee, who is now a Texas resident, shared that he and his family have been sick for several weeks due to black mold growing in his newly built home on social media.
For those who don’t know, Lee is a former MMA fighter who started his food critiquing career by documenting his wife’s unique pregnancy cravings, according to Forbes.
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The 28-year-old has gained more than 15 million followers on TikTok and over 2.6 million on Instagram by visiting local restaurants across the country and rating his food on a 10-point scale.
Last year, Lee announced he and his family had moved to Dallas, Texas, after living in Las Vegas for 10 years.
Black mold sickens Lee family
After moving into his Texas home in October 2024, Lee says he’s now experiencing the woes of homeownership after discovering growing black mold in his home’s bathroom.
Before moving in, Lee said the home was inspected three to four times, and they saw nothing wrong with their bathroom.
He said the discovery was made by his cleaning lady, who noticed a crack in the shower’s floor, growing mold.
In the video, he showed his bathtub that was gutted by a professional, which had growing black mold, left behind coke bottles, tops, packages, cups, and sunflower seeds.
Lee also pointed out that underneath his bathtub, the builders used “sheet rock” and materials that were not waterproof.
“None of this is waterproof,” Lee said.
He noted that they do not know how deep the mold is growing in their home, but it’s been making them sick.
“We’ve been getting sick for the last three weeks. I’m sick right now, and I couldn’t figure out what was happening or what was going on,” he said.
Lee’s wife, who’s visibly well into her pregnancy, was also seen on video looking upset.
“Reality of being a homeowner,” Lee said.
What is black mold and how dangerous is it?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Stachybotrys chartarum, also known as black mold, can appear dark green, gray, or brown.
It grows in materials with a high cellulose content, such as fiberboard, gypsum board, and paper. Growth occurs when there is moisture from water damage, leaks, condensation, water infiltration, or flooding. Constant moisture is required for its growth.
Black mold can cause respiratory issues, infections, asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, allergic rhinitis or hay fever, and eczema.