After 3 years apart, cancer survivor's teacher reached out with a priceless text message—it moved the teen to tears

Some bonds stay even after people move on to different places. It was the case with a teacher who displayed her affection for her former student with a special message on her 13th birthday. The two of them hadn't been at the same school for the past three years. But the woman, Kira Wegner, was the first person to wish the teen, Lilly Bauer, on her 13th birthday at midnight. Her excited mom, Trisha, gave her the news and also revealed a special surprise, per an Instagram video by the mom, who goes by @reallytrishh on the platform.

Trisha came to Lilly and asked her if she wanted to know who was the first person to wish her on her birthday. When she got the teen's attention, the mom told her that it was Ms. Wegner. "She sent me a text message at midnight and sent you $5 so you could get Starbucks today," the woman told her surprised daughter. Lilly had started crying by the time her mom started reading the text message. "It says, 'Happy birthday, Lilly. I miss you and I still think of you when I hear certain songs and see checkered print.'" "That's so sweet," the teen expressed as she wiped her tears. The mom also shared an old clip of Lilly singing as Ms. Wegner directed the choir.
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Trisha also wrote a message for all teachers through the text overlay of the video. "Dear teachers out there, wondering if all you pour into your students even matters after years pass...But really, you live on within our kids forever. And maybe don't know it, but us parents too, because I was barely hanging by a thread and she made sure Lilly never noticed and I'll never forget that or her." The caption read, "No greater gift than to be loved by a teacher like this, even while turning 13 years old today." Trisha added, "Kira, thank you for being her person through pages only you saw." The mom told TODAY.com that both Lilly and Ms. Wegner had gone on to different schools after they met at the teen's former school.
"Lilly hasn’t been Ms. Wegner’s student for three years and for her to send a text at midnight to let her know she still thinks of her meant so much to Lilly," Trisha remarked. The teen is a cancer survivor and she met the teacher when she transferred from her previous school because of bullying. Trisha had also lost a child at the time; the baby was stillborn. "I took a real mental turn. Every day, it was a daily battle to get myself to school drop-off and pickup. She [Ms. Wegner] knew what I was going through, but she made sure Lilly didn’t. She was so kind and always there for Lilly." The teen continued, "Ms. Wegner was always a friend to me. And her class was so much fun, too. She’s a mom and all the kids loved her so much."


People loved the teacher's gesture in the comments section. @lyds.maria wrote, "This is beautiful- as a teacher, we love our babies as much as you parents and saying goodbye is always heartbreaking every year." @artsyrachyyc commented, "I’m 27 and still keep in touch with some of my teachers. The ones I keep in touch with aren’t just teachers, they’re family and, quite frankly, help raise you. I always think of them like guardian angels and I remember thinking as a kid, god forbid something happens to everyone I know, I would love for them to be my guardian." @afergie5034 remarked, "This is so true! I’ve literally had teachers for my kids that we owe the world to, who have truly loved my girls and gone way above and beyond and truly impacted their lives forever. Made them better people."

You can follow Trisha Bauer (@reallytrishh) on Instagram for more family-related content.
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