The moment a 98-year-old grandmother met her great-granddaughter for the first time has left viewers in tears.
Jean had woken up to the news that her granddaughter, Amanda Jean, had just given birth. In a clip shared by Amanda's sister, Brianna (@morefunwithoutit) on TikTok, the elderly grandmother sits on the couch, her eyes lighting up as the family's newest addition, Lily Jean, is placed into her arms.
Amanda told Newsweek about the special relationship she has with her grandmother. "It meant the world to me that my grandma was able to meet my daughter," she said.
Amanda, who grew up in Queens and Long Island, spent many nights at her grandparents' house while her mom was working in the city.
"My grandparents would help my mom with school and babysitting. I slept over often and those are some of my best memories," she said.
The connection between generations runs deep in Amanda's family – even down to Lily Jean's name.
"My grandma's name is Jeanne... originally [spelled] Jean," Amanda said. "When she registered for service in the war, she changed it to Jeanne. When I found out I was pregnant with a girl I knew I wanted to continue with the Jean legacy."
Amanda and her husband combined the names of two beloved grandmothers – Jeanne and Lilia – to create Lily Jean.
"We both felt like our grandmas were big influences in our lives and knew combining their names would be so meaningful to not just us but our grandmas as well," she said.
Jeanne, now 100-years-old, continues to spend time with her great-granddaughter two years later.
"When I found out I was pregnant my grandma was 98," Amanda said. "Of course, with her age, I was worried she would miss out on this experience with me."
Jeanne was also one of the first people to know about Amanda's pregnancy. "Sharing that with her was beyond special and I hoped that she would stay with us long enough to meet my daughter. When I gave birth, she was one of the first people to meet Lily, which made my dreams come true."
Brianna's clip has been viewed 3.4 million times and received over 675,000 likes, leaving viewers emotional by Jean's reaction.
"The way the baby smiled the second she got into the grandma's arms," one user noticed.
"As someone who lost my final grandparent recently, this is hitting hard," another wrote.
"Full body sobbing," a third commented.
Amanda was surprised by the response. When the clip was first posted, Amanda didn't expect anything to come of it, but as the views grew, the more shocked she became. "She deserves all the views. She is an amazing woman, role model and my best friend," Amanda said.