You’ve seen the face. The plaid sweater vest, the metal-mouth braces, and that squinty, painful grin that screams "I just accidentally deleted my thesis." For over a decade, that image has been the universal shorthand for every embarrassing, soul-crushing stroke of misfortune known to man. We know him as "Brian." But in the real world—the one with blueprints, church steeples, and messy toddlers—he’s just Kyle Craven.
And honestly? Kyle might be the luckiest guy on the internet.
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The Day Kyle Craven Became Bad Luck Brian
It all started with a deliberate attempt to be a goofball. Back in 2006, Kyle was a junior at Archbishop Hoban High School in Akron, Ohio. He wasn't some poor kid who had a bad day at the photographer’s studio. He was the class clown. He went to a thrift store, bought a hideous sweater vest, and spent the morning rubbing his face to make it red and puffy. He puffed out his jaw and squinted. He wanted a legendary yearbook photo.
He got it. But his principal wasn't laughing.
She pulled him out of class and told him he had to do a retake the next day. The "Brian" photo never actually made it into the official yearbook, but Kyle and his best friend, Ian Davies, managed to snag a digital copy. For six years, it just sat there. A private joke.
Then, on January 23, 2012, Ian uploaded the photo to Reddit with the caption: Takes driving test. Gets first DUI.
The name "Brian" was totally random. Ian just thought it sounded catchier than "Bad Luck Kyle." By the time Kyle woke up the next morning, he had a voicemail from Ian: "Dude, I just made you internet famous."
Life Inside the Meme
It’s weird to think about now, but Kyle Craven basically pioneered the "accidental influencer" path before that was even a career. He didn't shy away from it. While other meme subjects like "Scumbag Steve" (Blake Boston) or "Overly Attached Girlfriend" (Laina Morris) sometimes struggled with the weight of their digital shadows, Kyle leaned in.
He did an AMA on Reddit. He started a YouTube channel. He even flew to Los Angeles to film a "dating" video with Laina Morris.
But here is the thing: the internet doesn't pay as well as you'd think for being a face. Over the first few years of his peak fame, Kyle estimated he made about $15,000 to $20,000 from licensing deals. Walmart and Hot Topic sold T-shirts with his face on them. He did commercials for Volkswagen and McDonald’s. He even did a campaign with Shaquille O'Neal.
The $36,000 Payday
In 2021, when the NFT craze hit, Kyle finally got a decent "bonus" for his years of service to the internet. He sold the original Bad Luck Brian photo as an NFT for roughly $36,134. It’s not "Disaster Girl" money (she famously made half a million), but for a guy who was just trying to annoy his principal in 2006, it was a solid win.
Where is He Now? (It's Not Where You'd Expect)
If you walked past Kyle Craven today, you probably wouldn't recognize him. He’s 36 now. He’s a husband and a father of two. The braces are gone, and he’s replaced the sweater vest with high-vis vests and suits.
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He’s currently the Vice President of his family's construction company, Craven Construction, in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. They specialize in building churches. Yes, the guy famous for memes about "Shitting his pants during a funeral" spends his days overseeing the construction of religious sanctuaries.
There is a hilarious irony in that. He’s even mentioned that he’s glad he doesn't look like the meme anymore because he'd probably lose clients if they realized their contractor was the face of "Hires a life coach... benched."
The Akron Real Estate Mogul?
Kyle is making moves in his local community, too. Recently, he was part of a group that purchased Quaker Square in Akron—a historic landmark once owned by Quaker Oats—for $800,000. He’s helping lead the charge to revitalize downtown Akron, turning old grain silos into hotel rooms and office spaces.
When people ask him about his "bad luck," he usually just laughs. In reality, Kyle says he’s incredibly lucky. He claims he wins at bingo and scratch-off tickets constantly. He’s got a happy marriage to his high school sweetheart, Nicole, and a thriving business.
The Enduring Legacy of a Sweater Vest
Why does Bad Luck Brian still matter in 2026? Most memes have a shelf life of about three weeks. "Hawk Tuah" vanished in the blink of an eye. But Brian stays.
Maybe it’s because the meme is universal. Everyone has had a "Brian" moment. It’s that feeling of the universe specifically conspiring against you in the most humiliating way possible.
Actionable Insights for Digital Longevity
If you ever find yourself becoming a viral sensation (god forbid), there are a few things you can learn from how Kyle handled it:
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- Don't fight the tide: Kyle never sued people for using his face. He embraced the joke, which made people like him more.
- Keep your day job: Fame is fickle. Kyle used his meme money as a "nice bonus" but leaned on his degree in construction management from Kent State to build a real career.
- Control the narrative: By doing interviews with The Washington Post and Rolling Stone, he became a human being rather than just a punchline.
Kyle Craven is the rare internet legend who survived the meat grinder of social media with his sanity and his bank account intact. He’s not a victim of his own fame. He’s the guy who turned a bad yearbook photo into a lifetime of "good luck" stories.
If you want to keep up with what he's doing, you can still find him occasionally posting on his "SolidBadLuck" Instagram or working on job sites across Ohio. Just don't expect him to be wearing the plaid vest.
Next Steps for You
- Check out the original Reddit thread: If you want a trip down memory lane, look up the "Advice Animals" archives from early 2012 to see the first wave of captions.
- Support local revitalization: If you're ever in Akron, keep an eye on the Quaker Square project—it's a fascinating piece of history being saved by the man behind the meme.
- Back up your photos: Kyle’s story is a reminder that once a digital photo is out there, it belongs to the world. Review your privacy settings if you aren't ready to be the next global face of misfortune.