A man from Bend, Oregon, claims to have been behind the viral googly eyes placed on sculptures in the city in December. Jeff Keith, who runs a non-profit called Guardian Group to combat human trafficking, told The Associated Press he used duct tape to attach the fixtures onto two sculptures.

According to Keith, he had done the same before but with leis and hula skirts, but this was a first for the googly eyes. He says that these modifications were done to give himself an emotional reprieve from his job.

Some of the trafficking victims he has worked with have been through “unimaginable trauma,” he says. “It is a place for me to cope with some pretty heavy stuff,” he told The Associated Press on Friday.

The city’s response to the pranks was viewed as harsh, after they posted pictures of the googly eyed sculptures on social media in December along with the statement that the adhesive could damage the art. According to the city, it cost around $1500 to remove the eyes from the eight sculptures that were altered.

Rene Mitchell, Bend’s communications director, said that they didn’t mean for their message to come across as harsh as it did, or at all “heavy handed.” She said it was intended to be more of a PSA that adhesive can damage the sculptures, as they are made of metal and have to be treated and maintained.

The social media backlash following the city’s initial post was significant, with people suggesting that the city’s money could be better spent combating things like homelessness. The city’s response was even covered by “The Late Show with Steven Colbert,” with the program dedicating an entire segment to the post.

Keith, after discovering the unprecedented and intense media attention the googly eyes received, reached out to the city to offer to repay them for any damage he may have caused. He only claims to have placed the googly eyes on two of the eight sculptures that ended up with them, a sculpture of a sphere, and a sculpture depicting two deer.

Keith wanted his handiwork to have a positive effect on people’s lives, and appreciated the reactions to the google eyes. “I think the biggest thing is, for me, just to get a laugh,” he said. “When I come up on these roundabouts and I see families laughing, like hysterically laughing at these, it makes for a good time.”