'Jumping Jesus' mudder Maureen Horlick says response unreal

The now-famous 'mudder' from a viral video showing a St. John's man struggling to free himself from snow says she can't believe how much attention the video has gotten.

According to the YouTube counter, Jumpin' Jesus has almost hit 500,000 views.

In the video, Maureen Horlick is heard exclaiming "Jumping Jesus tonight," as snow cascades into her home while her son Barry Horlick struggles to make his way to a shovel.

• 'Jumping Jesus' snowbound video prompts worldwide laughs

The Shea Heights family had no idea they had struck internet gold when they filmed the aftermath of the April 1 snowstorm that hit the area.

"We had about 40 cm that day, so it was really a lot of snow … and it blows in a lot on this side," she said.

"Every step that he was trying to take, the snow was just piling into my kitchen, and I just kept telling him, 'Get the shovel, get the shovel,' and he couldn't get it — absolutely, he couldn't get it — and I was just freaking out."

Horlick said she and her son, along with his girlfriend Kayla Scott, who shot the video, thought the video would be fun to share around.

"The video was fun, and even when it passed around to people, I just thought, 'you know what, we had such a crappy winter and so much snow and if it made someone's day and made 'em laugh, I was happy with it,'" said Horlick.

But she couldn't have anticipated the huge response they've received for what's become a bit of an internet sensation.

"It's been overwhelming. We've got dozens and dozens of calls for interviews, and we've had probably 11 or 12 companies wanting to buy the video, so it's gone really big," said Horlick.

"There was a ferry stuck going across from Port aux Basques over to the other side, and someone put up a sign that said, 'Mudder, I'm stuck!' It's a catchy phrase."

According to Horlick, it took her son about three hours to actually finish shovelling out from all the snow.