"Mom Who Passed Away a Year Ago..." 4 Million Likes for Children's 'Big Smiles'

Video Shared on SNS Receives Comments "Healing"
Expert Says "Various Forms of Mourning Are Very Positive"

A video capturing the transformation of grief for deceased family and friends into laughter instead of tears is gaining popularity on social networking services (SNS), resonating with netizens. Recently, foreign media such as USA Today reported that videos showing new ways of mourning to soothe sadness after losing family or friends to death are being posted on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

The most representative example is a 1 minute and 34 seconds video titled "A Confession Dedicated to My Late Mother," posted last November on the TikTok account of American TikTok creator Sarah Lauren. In the video, Lauren and a person presumed to be her younger sister begin by saying, "I want to confess to Mom about what happened after she passed away a year ago."

The Loren sisters kept laughing incessantly as if their actions were absurd while speaking. In addition, the Loren sisters confessed a few more things and ended the video by saying, "(These kinds of things) definitely happened more. I think there will be surprising things happening in the future if mom hears about it." As of 9 a.m. on the 18th, this video has received about 4 million likes and 43,000 comments. [Photo source=TikTok @sarawollner]

The sisters confess, "We didn't know we had to file taxes on behalf of Mom," and burst into laughter as if they themselves find it absurd. They continuously laugh and confess, "We also didn't know we had to get car insurance. We drove Mom's car without insurance for seven months, and eventually, not only Mom's driver's license but also my license got suspended, so I can't drive now," and so on.

Even while speaking, the Lauren sisters kept laughing as if their actions were ridiculous. After confessing a few more things, they concluded the video by saying, "There must have been more things like this. I think more surprising things will happen in the future if Mom hears about them." As of 9 a.m. on the 18th, the video has received over 4 million 'likes' and about 43,000 comments.

Netizens who watched the video unanimously said, "Thanks to the sisters' cheerful appearance, I was able to heal a little from the sadness of losing parents." One user expressed gratitude, saying, "I don't know how the algorithm led me to this video, but it was exactly what I needed as I just returned from my mother's funeral."

Comments from parents' perspectives also stand out. One user humorously scolded the sisters, saying, "Because of you, moms can no longer rest peacefully even after passing away," and another wrote, "I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer last year, so I need to prepare my children in advance to handle reality well." A comment that said, "Instead of shedding tears, bursting into laughter is exactly what I, as a mother, hope for. Your mother would surely like this even more," received about 19,000 'likes.'

Sharing Everyday Stories Along with Updates

Another American TikTok creator, Lauren Ashley, also received about 2.3 million 'likes' for a video posted last November. In the video titled "Things Sophie Would Have Flipped Out About," Ashley and a friend sit on a mat on the lawn, sharing stories that their friend Sophie, who passed away a few months ago, might be curious about, laughing as they chat.

Another American TikTok creator, Lauren Ashley, received over 2.3 million likes on a video she posted on TikTok last November. In the video titled "Things Sophie Would Have Flipped Out If She Knew," Ashley sits on a mat on the lawn with a friend, sharing stories that their friend Sophie, who passed away a few months ago, would have been curious about, bursting into laughter.
[Photo by @lauren_westall]

Ashley and her friend share updates such as "I decided to meet that boyfriend again" and trivial entertainment news that the MZ generation would be curious about, like "Singer Taylor Swift and NFL player Travis Kelce have started dating publicly."

Experts interviewed by USA Today said that sharing grief with laughter through SNS is a positive phenomenon. Jessica McNair, a professional psychological counselor, explained, "Grieving is a lifelong process," adding, "There is no set stage for mourning. People can encounter various emotions at unpredictable times." She further said, "It would be wonderful if people log into TikTok, see mourning methods that worked for others, and try them for themselves."

Clinical social worker Gina Moffa also said, "The biggest advantage is that it conveys the message that it’s okay to be sad," adding, "It informs people that mourning is not just about lying in bed crying and feeling upset."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.