A woman was brought to tears of joy when she was surprised with a Mickey Mouse watch with ties to her late mother and childhood.
When Lilia Villarreal, 62, was growing up, her mother, Lucia Villarreal, did not have much money – but one Christmas, Lucia was able to give her daughter a big surprise.
A young Lilia had always wanted a Mickey Mouse watch, and despite her parents’ economic situation, they could buy one for her, showing how hard they were willing to work for their four children.
In 2022, Lucia passed right after her 84th birthday, and in the following months, Lilia explained the story of the watch to her niece, Clarice.
Lilia – who lives in Los Angeles, California – told Clarice about how much enjoyment her mom got from visiting Disneyland and how she intended to find a watch to remind her of the one she wore as a child.
Fast forward to Christmas 2023, and Clarice had managed to source a Mickey Mouse watch, which she placed in a shadow box, along with photos of her grandparents.
On Christmas Day, Clarice, Lilia and their family gathered at Lucia’s home, which the family still uses for celebrations.
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After Lilia had been handed Clarice’s gift, she began to unwrap it as her niece quietly recorded the moment.
Then, as the 62-year-old saw the watch and the photos, she immediately started welling up.
Clarice later shared the video on her TikTok page, where it received an outpouring of love.
She said: “Losing my grandmother right before Christmas [2022] was hard on us, and I knew it would make my auntie sad – but I was also thrilled because the watch had significant meaning.
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“It was a bittersweet moment.
“I was nervous at first, as people handle grief differently – but my family cherishes the small gestures in life and meaningful moments, and this was one of them.
“My family has no idea I posted the video, but my aunt loves seeing and sharing videos like these.
“My friends all knew she would love the gift.
“These raw moments in life are great to watch because they allow humans to see that everyone is going through something.”