The viral clip shared by @staceycallanfit on TikTok showed her mother bursting into tears as she opened the box and realized it contained her husband’s clothes.
The tear-jerking video received four million views and more than 310,690 likes at the time of writing.
How to cope with the loss of a loved one
In 2021, Statista revealed there were 3.58 million widowed men and 11.61 million widowed women in the United States.
Stacey, the TikTok user, told her followers that her dad passed away in October. “I knew this holiday would be hard for my mom,” she captioned the video.
Sharon Jenkins, a bereavement counselor at Marie Curie UK, suggested those dealing with the loss of a loved one do the following:
Make the day different than usualHave open conversations with family and friendsDon’t feel guilty about enjoying yourself or enjoying traditions without them
Meaningful ways to remember your loved one
Stacey’s gesture moved not only her mom but TikTokers, too. She wrote: “I had some of his favorite shirts made into a blanket to keep her warm at night.”
Jenkins told Newsweek: “After a bereavement, some people may feel overcome with grief, especially during important moments and milestones like Christmas and birthdays. But although it may feel overwhelming or impossible to enjoy at times, there are ways to manage grief during big moments or celebrations.
“Having a physical reminder of your lost loved one’s presence can be a comfort for some. Some people find it reassuring to keep hold of a piece of clothing to cuddle up to or to wear a special piece of their jewelry.
“Others experiencing grief may find it soothing to light candles in memory of someone, to look through old photographs or recount happy stories; our memories are a part of how we continue to live without them.
“Allow yourself to feel grief but if it feels overwhelming at times take care to look after yourself and reach out for help. In my experience, many people are scared to feel their grief in case it becomes overwhelming, but if they know it is okay to reach out, then it feels more manageable.”
What do the comments say?
Over 9,500 people have commented on the emotional video so far and it seems there isn’t a dry eye online.
One TikTok user wrote: “She right away smelled the shirts. What a great gift!”
“Not me crying before she even gets it open!” commented another.
“That was so lovely to watch, melted my heart and brought a tear to my eye, your lovely Mum will be comforted by this forever,” a commenter said.
Another person commented: “So beautiful and I cried with her! I’m sure she will use it everyday! What a lovely gift!”
