When Diana Trinh was laid off from her corporate marketing job in tech, she found herself working for minimum wage at her local Applebee’s as a host.
In a video on TikTok filmed in 2023, Trinh had returned from her first in-person job since 2019. In the clip, her father stayed up late to greet her after her shift, enthusiastically filming and supporting her as she unpacked food she had brought home. The short, heartfelt moment has since been viewed over 401,000 times on TikTok as her father’s support and love melted hearts.
“My dad always supported me,” Trinh wrote in the video caption. She told Newsweek: “I didn’t get home until close to 11 p.m. that day, but I was so happy to see that he stayed up. I didn’t realize how excited he was until I turned up the volume on the video. It truly made me cry.”
Between 2023 and 2024, layoffs in fields such as tech have been frequent, due in part to huge bouts of hiring during the COVID-19 pandemic. The tech industry saw more than 260,000 jobs disappear in 2023, and more continued through this year as fast-moving markets changed priorities for big companies.
The video struck a chord with viewers who shared their reactions to the father’s heartwarming gesture.
“He’s proud of having a hardworking daughter,” said viewer Cups, while another wrote: “[I was] laid off in tech, now I’m driving a forklift on a power plant job making more than I did before. Shout out to life being mysterious.”
Others wrote that the post had made their day. “I needed to see this,” said viewer @TheSizzler, while @MightyRogue commented: “The fact that you got right back up on your feet and made the decision to work, no matter the job, deserves recognition.”
For Trinh, the video represents more than just her father’s love—it is a reflection of resilience and determination. On LinkedIn, she previously shared her decision to embrace the restaurant industry after being laid off.
“After eight years of corporate experience, I found myself working as a host,” Trinh wrote in a post on the social-network site. “I’ve learned so much and been humbled so many times. Long story short, I don’t judge people for their jobs—and you shouldn’t either.”
Trinh is now working back in marketing, but the reaction to the video has brought her joy. As the clip continues to gain views and responses online, many shared their own stories of being laid off, and some recounted how they didn’t have the same support from their family that Trinh did.
“I know so many people didn’t have the support of their parents like I did,” she said. “I’m so devastated that so many people have been laid off in this economy, but I’m grateful for the beautiful strangers on the internet who showed kindness. It’s a reminder that we’re all in this together.“
The post Millennial Woman Laid Off From Tech Job, Not Prepared for What Dad Does appeared first on Newsweek.
