Man Surprises Mom on Date Night by Wearing a Shirt His Dad Left Him Before He Died
When husbands and fathers pass away, they leave a mark — especially on the young sons they leave behind.
Whether or not they’re told they’re now “the man of the family,” those sons usually pick up on that fact and go out of their way to shoulder some of the responsibilities their fathers would have, especially when it comes to looking out for their mothers and sisters.
Brady Campbell is an excellent example of that. His father died of cancer earlier this year when Brady was just 6 years old.
While he was probably unable to entirely grasp what it meant that his father had passed away, his actions showed that he knew he had to pick up the slack now, as he’d promised his father he’d look out for his mom, Amanda.
Brady Campbell promised his dad that he’d look after his mom, so the 6-year-old boy opened a lemonade stand to make money so he could treat her to a date https://t.co/H1veBd93pe
— CNN (@CNN) July 26, 2019
Brady and his father had planned on selling lemonade together, but they never got to. Soldiering on, the little man was still determined to have his lemonade stand for one incredibly noble reason: so that he could take his mom out on a date.
Even at his tender age, he’d observed his dad taking his mom out, and his mom seemed surprised at her son’s plan: “I think he kind of came up with it himself,” Amanda told CNN.
“My dad and I came up with the idea of a lemonade stand to take my mom on a date because I didn’t have enough money and I wanted to pay, so I did it,” Brady told KDVR.
It worked out in his favor, and he collected over $200 for their special date. A GoFundMe page raised $55,000 so they could “continue having adventures (and dates) together” and to “honor the Palliative Care Team and Cancer Center at University of Colorado Anschutz.”
Now, a young man from Forth Worth, Texas, has gone viral for a similar heartwarming reason.
He’s like a future version of Brady: He calls his mom his best friend and still takes her out on date nights.
keeps me humble??? https://t.co/SHtcyAXnSB pic.twitter.com/M4EyxhHivN
— Calypso? (@ClaytonWalker21) August 14, 2019
While Clayton Walker was only a year old when his father passed away, he does his best to keep his dad’s memory alive.
His phone cover is plastered in images of his father and mother, and he has some big shoes — or rather, shirts — to fill.
It was a simple gesture, but one that packed a punch because of the meaning behind it: For one of his date nights with his widowed mother, he wore one of his dad’s old shirts.
As soon as the mother saw her son, she knew.
“[M]y father passed away when I was 1 and I only have a few shirts of his so I wore one for date night with my momma,” Walker tweeted.
In the video, you can see Walker’s mom come in, see the shirt, and then say “awww, I like that,” as she fusses with the collar like any self-respecting mother would.
my father passed away when I was 1 and I only have a few shirts of his so I wore one for date night with my momma??? pic.twitter.com/X3E2uj7yKl
— Calypso? (@ClaytonWalker21) August 14, 2019
“What do you think?” he asks, to which she says, “You look good” while blinking back the tears.
Unwilling to see her in tears unhugged, Walker goes in to give her a reassuring embrace as they tell each other, “I love you.”
“We have date nights from time to time just because life can be so hectic so it’s nice to take a break and really talk and spend quality time with my momma,” Walker told The Western Journal. “We went to the movies to see Lion King and I wanted to wear this shirt because I wore a green one of his in the past and she loved it so I finally fit into this other shirt better and showed her.”
“She noticed the shirt immediately and the look in her eyes and her smile just filled my heart to see her so happy,” he continued. “She began to cry and every time I watch it I tear up. Her story is really amazing and her character really shows every day how beautiful her heart is.”
While some twisted the post into something negative, Walker’s not letting it get him down:
“There is always gonna be hate bc some people are ugly and that’s okay but I’ve had so many beautiful comments full of love and my heart is full,” he wrote. “Thank you you beautiful people.”
Many people have been in tears over this emotional and sentimental moment that came straight from the heart. It’s simple but sweet, and many can relate to the love a child has for parents who have passed, no matter what their age.
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