Daughter Freezes Up During Talent Show, Mom Rescues Her In The Sweetest Way

Viral video of a mom helping her daughter finish a talent show performance has us all in tears

Every now and then, a viral video comes through our social media feeds that sticks with us and touches our hearts beyond the usual “awww that’s adorable” sort of feelings. This clip of a little girl freezing up while singing at a talent show and her mom rescuing her in the best way possible is one of them.

Mom Rhonda Whitney was at her daughter’s school talent show and recording the performances when she captured something pretty incredible and heartwarming. When a young girl singing Andra Day’s hit “Rise Up” stumbled nervously halfway through her performance, the audience froze up with her. That is, until her mom’s voice rang out in song and we all started sobbing uncontrollably.

If you’re in a place where you can’t comfortably cry, go find one. And then watch.

Whitney writes, “At my daughter’s talent show last night, this young lady got scared and stopped singing. What her mom (Shaye Washington) did, had me in tears and i cry every time i watch it.”

Yup. Crying over here too. It’s simply too much for my heart to take.

When the girl stops singing, the tension in the auditorium is palpable and then here comes her mom, singing out loud exactly where her daughter left off. If that’s not backing up your kid (literally) I don’t know what is. By the time she joins her onstage, I’m going to guess there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. It’s such a simple gesture, but the love’s so very palpable.

Great, now I’m crying again.

Whitney tells Scary Mommy, “I was recording, praying the little girl found the courage to keep going, next thing I know there was an angel singing behind me,” she says.

“I looked over and there she was walking to the stage. I cried the minute she started singing. I looked around and I wasn’t alone,” she shares. “When they finished we all started clapping and hollering. I don’t even know where they went.”

After that, the show went on (as it must) and Whitney shared the footage on Facebook where it’s since gone viral. It’s easy to see why — the moment Washington starts singing is one of the most powerful showings of parental love I’ve ever seen.

Once the video spread, Washington shared her own thoughts on the moment.

“My motherly instincts just kicked in. I wanted to teach my daughter perseverance. I am so grateful for all of the love I am receiving from strangers, because sometimes I am hard on myself as a mom and think I’m not doing enough so all of the kind words are definitely a breath of fresh air,” she writes.

Washington tells Scary Mommy, “I saw her struggling and getting ready to get frustrated so I just immediately stepped in. From where I was standing it looked like my child was asking for help, but just not verbally. Like at that moment she wanted someone to step in and save her.”

As far as Whitney’s reflection after the moment’s passed? “A surreal moment, the energy in that room was unlike anything I’ve ever felt. Just blessed to have been there,” she says.

And we’re blessed she captured it so we could all be there too.