The Nationwide Dead Kid meme stems from a polarizing 2015 Super Bowl commercial titled 'The Boy,' which was aired by Nationwide Insurance to promote child safety. The ad featured a young boy describing all the life experiences he would never have, such as getting married or traveling the world, because he died in a preventable household accident. The advertisement's heavy, depressing tone was seen as a massive 'vibe killer' during the Super Bowl, leading to an immediate explosion of parodies and social media backlash. The meme typically uses the boy’s image paired with a list of things he'll never do, always ending with the punchline 'because I died,' often mocking the corporate attempt at emotional manipulation or simply leaning into the dark irony of the commercial's placement.