Mom’s “Ugly” T-shirt Becomes Family Treasure in Heartwarming Tale of Mother-Daughter Bond

A mom who kept up a running joke for decades by wearing a t-shirt her daughter “detested” for over 30 years was left stunned when her daughter wore it to visit after her mom moved into senior living.

The top was first worn by Linda Chartrand, 72, when her daughter Dorilee Lavin, 39, was in middle school and made up of vibrant purples and pinks, odd patterns, and strange materials.

A young Dorilee, from Burlington, Vermont, made her thoughts clear at the time, saying she “completely detested” the t-shirt, feeling embarrassed as it was so different to what other moms were wearing.

Linda, however, decided to lean into the tee, making it a running joke, wearing it to cookouts, family dinners, picking Dorilee up from school, and, later, when she visited her daughter as an adult.

MORE GOOD NEWS: Grandfather’s T-Shirt Surprise Leaves Family in Stitches

Each time, Linda would look for her daughter’s reaction and flag that she wore it just for her.

She also assured Dorilee that, when she passes, she planned to leave her daughter the t-shirt as something to remember her by.

Dorilee thought little of this on-going joke, but decades later, Linda told her that she had, in fact, made arrangements for the shirt to one day be hers.

This gesture moved her 39-year-old daughter, and then Linda paid Dorilee a visit while she was in the process of moving into senior living.

She surprised Dorilee with the top itself, which Dorilee said left her completely shocked.

As soon as she received the garment, Dorilee immediately knew that she had to provide her mom with a loving gesture, too.

The pair were meeting to watch a baseball game later that day, on July 18, and so Dorilee decided to wear the “ugly” shirt to the game.

Capturing her journey and explaining the backstory on video, Dorilee then recorded her mom’s glowing reaction when she saw her daughter in the t-shirt at the game.

Dorilee later shared the video online, where it went viral and received a number of loving messages.

MORE GOOD NEWS: Grandma Turns Late Husband’s Hawaiian Shirt Collection Into Memory Pillows for Family

She said: “Everything changed – it went from being this threat of leaving something she knew I detested to her giving me a wholesome memory of her physically holding onto our long-running joke with the biggest smile.

“It ended up being such a positive transfer of property – not at all like I imagined.

“I could only think to honor her and that shirt by essentially doing what would only occur if hell froze over: putting it on and wearing it for her.

“I will never regret doing so.

MORE GOOD NEWS: Proud Dad Cries When Daughter Surprises Him With T-Shirt Revealing She’s Headed to His Dream College

“She was so surprised once she regained her focus after laughing, she reached right for her camera to take a photo – something she did often as a child but now in her older days she does less, pushing us all to live more in the moment.

“Now, when I look at the shirt in my closet, I think of that moment and it brings me happiness.

“My whole life I figured when the shirt made its way to me I’d be devastated.

“Her giving it to me the way she did changed the entire vibe.”