In the mood for a good sob? By that we mean something that’s likely to make you sob in public, but because of something good and not anything awful like unicorn torture.
USA Today‘s Humankind wing has shared an absolutely incredible video guaranteed to turn your stone cold heart into warm squishy rubble. The clip in question comes from Chicago where a teen girl named Lauren handed cap-sporting Joe a special present during her high school graduation party. Joe, who has been dating Lauren’s mother for 17 years, has served as a de facto dad to the young grad and her gift to him had the stand-up man in tears. Why? Lauren’s gift to Joe was adoption papers.
It’s a remarkably touching story and one that deserves home (yet again) that someone doesn’t have to be biologically related to be a hell of a parent. The video of Joe’s reaction to Lauren’s incredibly heartfelt present is the sort of “chopping onions/getting dusty/third crying excuse” that prompts an undignified sob on the bus or in a doctor’s office waiting room. That’s okay. Cry along, dab them tears, and be glad you were able to watch this awesome moment in action.