All families have their own special traditions.
For Twitter user sav-age and her mother, one tradition they loved was taking a selfie on the first and last days of each school year. In 2018, as the then-teenager prepared for her graduation day from Dr. John D. Horn High School in Mesquite, Texas, she took the final photo in order to keep the beloved ritual alive.
The teen shared her series of photos on Twitter, starting with freshman year of high school:
Twitter
You can see the love and joy in their eyes as they enjoy a first-day ice cream treat. Look how young sav-age looks in this first shot!
Next up, sophomore year:
Twitter
This year they were feeling quirky, it seems! Their funny faces make us smile.
Junior year came and went:
Twitter
Here’s our first clue that things aren’t going as well as they might seem. Sav-age’s mom has lost her hair, a common side effect of chemotherapy used to treat cancer.
The last photograph makes us tear up.
Twitter
Clearly, the teen’s mother passed away before she got a chance to see her daughter graduate. While this photo breaks our hearts, it is the teen’s sunny outlook that strikes us as the most incredible aspect of this story. She’s determined to continue the selfie tradition, even after her mother’s death.
As the Dallas teen walked with her classmates, she seemed to feel her mother’s presence there with her. True love never dies – it just changes form. Now this young lady is ready to take on her life, bolstered by the strength and love her mother showed her.
She decided to post the photos on Twitter, not to share her sadness, but to show the joy she knows her mother would feel if she was still here.
Naturally, the tweet went viral, and soon everyone was chiming in with kind, supportive thoughts.
Twitter
The young lady later went back to thank everyone for their kind words, telling them that seeing this series of photos through fresh eyes made her realize how lucky she was to be so close with her mother.
Wherever she is, we’re sure your mother is proud of you! What a wonderful reminder of how precious life is. Let’s work to never leave anything unsaid – tell your family you love them today!
Please share this message with someone close to your heart.
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