We always hear about a mother's love being unconditional and how most moms would do anything to support their children. Moms want to be good examples for their kids and do their best to teach them the importance of hard work, compassion, and love. And sometimes, even when we think our kids aren't paying attention, they are soaking it all in.
Courtney Rich, a mom from Salt Lake City, found out recently that her 10-year-old daughter, Avery, was definitely watching her as she worked hard to train for a marathon. The tween cheered her mom on, and when she saw that she was struggling in the last miles of the race, she jumped right in, grabbed her hand, and helped her cross the finish line. When we tell you to grab the tissues, we mean it.
More from CafeMom: I Became a Grandma in My 30s & Breastfed My Kids & Grandkids
Courtney had a goal that she'd worked hard to achieve.
The 40-year-old mom of two told Good Morning America that she trained hard for the Revel Big Cottonwood Marathon on September 9. She felt ready to run, but when she got near the end of the race, she could feel her body shutting down, and she was afraid that she wouldn't make the record time she hoped for.
"My legs were just done. I could just feel them slowing down," Courtney told GMA. "By mile 24 … I looked at my watch and that's when I called my husband and was in tears, just having a little pity party for myself for a minute."
Avery didn't want to see her mom quit.
In an interview with CNN, the fifth grader said she knew what to do when she saw her mom round the corner.
"In my head, I was thinking, 'I love my mom, and I'm doing this for my mom, and she needs it, so I have to do this,'" Avery told CNN.
"As soon as I caught Avery's hand, in that moment, like any pain that I had in my legs, it felt like it disappeared," Courtney added.
A video of Avery grabbing her mom's hand and running across the finish line went viral. And when we tell you we had tears, we mean it was an ugly cry.
Avery got inspiration from another mother and daughter.
She told CNN she saw another girl cross the finish line with her mom and knew that she wanted to do the same for her struggling mom.
"When I touched her hand, she just smiled and finished the race off with her best friend," she recalled.
Courtney told GMA her sister-in-law Karla Carlston, and Courtney's friend Emilee Robert shot the viral video, and she shared it on Instagram. The video garnered more than 1 million views. People were so touched by the incredible moment.
The viral video is so heartwarming.
We'll admit, we've watched it several times and continued to tear up. Lots of fans on Instagram felt the same way.
"I watched this like 5 times and it had me bawling!" a follower wrote "The most tender moment ever!!! Definitely something you'll never forget!"
It was the kind of feel-good moment that people want to see more often. Someone commented: "That's precious. It's cause you're a good mom. You were able to withdraw a little of the credits, the things you've done for her the last 10 years. Good on ya. The world needs more of this."
Moms of daughters could feel the love for the racing duo.
"No one prepared me for how it feels to have a daughter's love and support," another mom commented. "I've always given it to my mom, but being on the receiving end is a whole other emotion. ."
And just like us, there were lots of tears.
"Out here crying for a stranger," someone else wrote. "Such a beautiful moment ❤️❤️."
More from CafeMom: Inspiring Mom Uses Positive Thinking & Affirmations To Encourage Her Blind Daughter
Avery has a special relationship with her mom.
Courtney, a baker who posts mouthwatering desserts on Instagram, also shares moments from her personal life. She and Avery caught Taylor Swift's Eras Tour in August and had a fantastic time.
"Her first concert ☝ and I'm not sure what was more fun – watching Taylor on stage or watching Avery in the audience singing and dancing to every single song. Actually, I know the answer – watching Avery! It was like going to Disneyland with kids for the first time. There was awe and wonder in her eyes at every turn. I will forever remember dancing with her, dressing up with her, trading bracelets with her, singing with her…Time with her is everything these days ," she wrote.
After her video went viral, Courtney told GMA she shared a message with her daughter, "'I said Avery, 'This is an incredible example of how one little thing that impacted one person in your life had a ripple effect and how it's inspiring so many other people. So don't ever brush aside the prompting or the inspiration to do a small act of kindness for someone because you just never know what impact that will have on people.'"
Again, we're crying. Avery, you are giving us the feels in the best way! Don't ever stop being you!
