22-year-old was diagnosed with a brain tumor—friends made a sweet gesture to support him the night before surgery
During some life events, a person might need all the love and support they can get from the people around them. A 22-year-old man who was about to undergo a major brain surgery needed support from his community, too. However, he got it at an unexpected moment and even without asking, as his friends and family settled down in his hospital room to read his favorite children's book the night before his surgery. The emotional moment was shared by his girlfriend, Kiya McLaurin, who goes by @kiyamclaurinn on TikTok. The video received over 19.8 million views.
The man, Tucker Nelson, was lying in his hospital bed and McLaurin sat beside him and read the children's book, The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein. The camera panned to show Nelson's friends and family sitting around in his room and listening to the woman read the book to him. "Reading my boyfriend's favorite childhood book surrounded by all his best friends and family the night before a major brain surgery will be something I never forget," the text overlay of the video read. The caption read, "The love of my life forever and ever." The man was diagnosed with a brain tumor on August 1 and had to undergo surgery just a week later, per PEOPLE.
@kiyamclaurinn The love of my life forever and ever.
♬ What Was I Made For? (Epilogue) [Instrumental Version] - Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt
"We got admitted to the hospital for four or five days. We were there for a long time, staying in the hospital and his friends were constantly bugging me. They were blowing on my phone, saying, 'Please, can we come over? Please, please, please,'" McLaurin told the outlet. Nelson's friends and family gathered in the hospital the night before the surgery and arranged a pizza party for him. 25 people showed up at the hospital's waiting room to support Nelson. When the man finally went to his hospital room, around 10 of his friends followed him there. "They didn't say anything. They didn't want the night to end in any way. It's a scary thing, so they didn't want to leave him alone. They followed him back to his room."
McLaurin started reading the book as a joke, but it turned out to be a really meaningful experience for everyone present. "I started reading the book and I got three pages in and I thought, 'This is a deep, sincere moment.' You could feel a shift in the room as everyone paid attention; his parents were recording, tears streaming down their faces. Everyone's experiencing a range of emotions and feelings." About Nelson, McLaurin shared, "He's like the tree in the book, where he gives and he wants everybody to feel supported and loved. Now that it's his time to need something, people are willing to give it back to him." People also wrote notes for Nelson in the book and planned a related tattoo to remember the moment.
People appreciated everyone for showing up for Nelson in the comments section of the video. @ladythyme wrote, "This is masculinity, it's showing up for your bros through good and bad times." @krisssdamm commented, "I love seeing men that truly love and care about each other, show up when their 'bros' need them. You created a core memory that they all needed." @layneebell remarked, "Thinking of all my past patients who had no one visiting them the night before a major surgery… this means more to him than y'all could ever imagine." In another video, McLaurin shared that Nelson's surgery was a success. A GoFundMe page was set up to support the man's medical journey.
@kiyamclaurinn I’m actually so sorry how aggressive the mood shift is from the last post hahahahaha
♬ original sound - Paramount+ UK & Ireland
You can follow Kiya McLaurin (@kiyamclaurinn) on TikTok for more lifestyle content.