An 8-year-old girl from Canada on a mission to buy her mom a Christmas present has touched the hearts of millions of people online.
Her mom, Mira Simone, posted a reel on Instagram (@newmoonmira) showing her daughter clutching a piggy bank under her arm and exploring a local holiday market in search of the perfect gift. Simone was instructed to take her there and she watched from a nearby café, promising not to follow or watch her.
“The day before, we had been present shopping for various family members and at some point, she must have realized that if her dad was alive, the two of them would have been buying a present for me. So, she decided to take matters into her own hands,” Simone told Newsweek.
In her caption, Simone explained that her daughter had spent $25 using allowance money she had saved up. “I fought back tears at the unfairness of it, the beauty,” the widow wrote.
Simone’s partner Brian died from cancer in 2019 when her daughter was about to turn 3. Her Instagram reel underscores the unique struggles of being the surviving parent during the holidays.
“The first few years are especially hard. There’s a lot of pressure to make Christmas special for our kids and honestly just to get through them,” she told Newsweek.
Simone’s reel has been viewed 2.2 million times and received over 18,000 likes from other social media users.
Many commented that the short clip was heart-breaking and moving to watch. Others shared their pain of losing a loved one and its impact around the holidays.
“My 10 year old daughter lost her dad at 4 years old. I’m telling you, NOBODY loves me like that kid loves me. It’s overwhelming at times, and I know there is trauma attached to it, but it’s so so beautiful too,” one user wrote.
“I can relate. I live this as well. My six year old wants to go shopping with an adult friend to buy me a Christmas present because otherwise I don’t get anything. Indeed the heartache, the love and everything in between,” commented another.
Simone, who is a grief coach and occupational therapist, told Newsweek of her admiration and heartache for her daughter’s ability to shoulder the weight of loss at such a young age.
“Grieving children are heroes. The depth that they carry; the things that they have faced and continue to face every day. As her mom, I am so incredibly proud of my daughter and her huge heart. Of course, I wish she hadn’t lost her dad and didn’t have to carry this additional depth, wisdom, and responsibility,” she said.
To honor her late partner, Simone incorporates his memory into the celebrations by bringing a photo of him to the table at Christmas and lighting a memorial candle. Her daughter returned with a gift bag, which they’ll be putting underneath the Christmas tree.
The post Tears at How Little Girl Who Lost Dad Shops for Mom’s Christmas Present appeared first on Newsweek.
