A viral video on TikTok posted earlier this month showing the emotional moment a young boy saw his mom for the first time in a year has left the internet in tears.
Father-of-two Jesse Wood, 41, captured the precious moment his son Wyatt, 8, ran to greet his mom off the train and give her a big hug after spending a year apart from each other. The following day, Wood shared the footage to TikTok under the username @jbird.pma.official and it’s already melted many hearts on the social media platform, with the video currently receiving over 1.7 million views and 60,200 likes.
Wood, from Michigan, loved seeing the joy on his son’s face, telling Newsweek that Wyatt was so “happy to see her” after so long.
The family have been through a lot, as Wood explained that Sandra, 41, has been “struggling with addiction” and has been seeking treatment in a facility. It’s been tough for Wyatt and his older brother Nevaeh, 13, to go months without seeing her, but they certainly made the most of the time they had together when she returned for the day.
“Mother’s Day was the first time she saw the boys since Mother’s Day last year, so it was a big thing. This was big step for her to see them, and hopefully it will send her in the right direction,” Wood said. “I felt like this moment was long overdue. They have been through a lot with her addiction, and not a day goes by when they don’t miss her.”
According to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics (NCDAS), 32.1 million women in the United States have a mental or a substance abuse disorder, with 39 percent struggling with illegal drugs. While 9 million women were found to have a prescription opioid abuse problem in 2018, the NCDAS suggests that only 20 percent of individuals in drug treatment centers are women.
In 2018, nearly 19 million people over the age of 12 required substance abuse treatment across the country, but the numbers reveal that very few people actually get it. Of the 15.1 million adults over 26 years old who needed treatment, only 3 million of them, or 1.4 percent, received any.
Sandra hasn’t returned to the home full-time as of yet, but Wood hopes that seeing how happy her sons were to reunite with her will be a positive step in her recovery from addiction.
“Addiction is a real struggle. It’s a choice to get into it and a choice to get out of it, but she must have that reason to stop, and hopefully this will be her reason,” Wood told Newsweek.
@jbird.pma.official / TikTok
TikTok Users React
It was certainly a memorable Mother’s Day, and Wood has been so delighted to share such a wonderful family moment on social media. In just a matter of days, the viral clip has generated over 1,200 comments on TikTok, as many people offered praise and support to the family.
One TikTok user wrote: “Thank you for making sure to remember her and get her there for him. Amazing dad putting your kiddo first.”
Another user added: “You’re a good dad for doing that. It can’t be easy.”
A third user posted: “He’s so happy this made cry.”
One user wrote: “This breaks my heart. I’m in tears.”
While another TikTok user commented: Wow, how sweet of you to make it work for him! I hope she can see him more.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) national helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
If you have a family dilemma, let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.