It was meant to be a Mother’s Day surprise for one when 26-year-old Rebecca Roy and her family sang “You Are My Sunshine” outside their grandma’s senior living facility in Waterford, Michigan.
But before their grandma Cherrill Flynn, 87, even came out, four other women were on their balconies, clapping and even dancing along to the song that they thought was meant for them.
And the moment, captured on video, is just too precious.
“They came out and they all immediately had smiles on their faces,” Roy told CNN. “We started cracking up because it was so funny that they were all out there and they thought we were singing to them.'”
The serenade, performed by Roy, her husband, sister and mother, was a gift for Flynn, who they haven’t seen for three months due to her living facility being on lockdown to protect seniors from the coronavirus.
“She’s always been at everything for us, at all of our events and everything we’ve done,” Roy said. “So we decided that, especially on Mother’s Day when we haven’t been able to see her in a while, that it would be nice to return the favor a little bit and at least sing to her and lift her spirits on a day that we usually would be with her and out eating brunch somewhere.”
While she’s lived through World War II and other difficult times in American history, Flynn said the coronavirus pandemic is the “most frightening experience in my lifetime.” So when her family showed up to surprise her on a rainy day, she said it “just put a light in my heart.”
Flynn was also a fan of the song selection.
“It’s a song we used to sing when my children were little,” she said. “I sang along right with them.”
Roy said it was “amazing” when four others crashed their family’s surprise.
“Not all families are able to go visit their loved ones on Mother’s Day so it was nice to bring everyone’s spirits up,” Roy said. “Especially right now, when others might be feeling a bit lonely or don’t have other people to lean on, it’s important to show people that you love them.”
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Hey SLAYER! I’ve started a new series of posts called SLAY IT FORWARD. Each post is a submission from you of an act of kindness you have received or have witnessed that has inspired you. Let’s remind each other what’s important during this time and spread kindness… SLAY IT FORWARD.
To submit your own SLAY IT FORWARD story email me at carrie@stateofslay.com
State Of Slay™ 