A mom who allowed her daughter to play on her phone to film her "treasures" had no idea what she would find when she took it back.
Delphine Expert's five-year-old daughter, Zoey, has autism and was non-verbal up until just a few months ago, when she started playing music. Since taking up violin in September last year, Zoey "started to be able to call me Mom and say a few other little or simple words," Expert told Newsweek.
And 10 months later, Zoey is now "able to communicate a little bit and she seems to enjoy starting talking." All of this led to a message Zoey left on her mother's phone, which has left TikTok users in tears.
In a clip, shared to her account @Zoeyexpertskier on May 11, which has been viewed over 3 million times, the little girl points out dandelions, a pinecone and the sky. The camera then lands on her mom, who has her back turned and is walking nearby. Zoey's voice immediately changes, becoming incredibly excited and happy.
She says: "And there is my beautiful mom. She's the best mom. I love her so much and she's the best mom in the whole world."
Expert, 50, explained to Newsweek that the video was taken as she was waiting for a realtor to arrive to look at their nearby condo. As Zoey got bored of waiting, she "asked me to use my phone to take pictures or record a movie of the treasures she'll find on her way."
She wrote on the caption that she "didn't think I'd be one of the treasures she'd find on her way."
Looking at the videos later, Expert said she almost deleted the clip until she saw the "beautiful end," which she described as "so cute and spontaneous."
TikTok users agreed, liking the video over 470,000 times, with thousands commenting, one writing alongside crying emojis: "The way she sounds so overwhelmed with her love for mommy."
"Parents of teenagers are sobbing over this," another said. "We remember when they admitted they loved us this much."
"I would bawl my eyes out," another said, another writing: "Her little voice is so excited," and one delighted user noting the way she pronounced dandelion as "DandeWion".
Expert told Newsweek that people find Zoey's way of talking "very cute," but pointed out that "it's a very big challenge and effort" for her daughter, who only recently began to speak.
Autism spectrum disorder affects roughly one in 36 children in the United States by the age of eight years old, according to a 2020 report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
While autism manifests itself differently in people, it is typically characterized by some degree of difficulty with communication skills and social interaction.
Expert looks after her daughter "24/7" because of her additional needs, and homeschools Zoey with the help of a virtual online program backed up by teachers and autism support workers.
Since taking up sports and music, Zoey has come on in leaps and bounds, with Expert's page full of her daughter playing, dancing and skiing.
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