Her mom with dementia lost her phone, so the daughter called to track it — but the voicemail left her feeling both happy and heartbroken
Small moments can bring back deep emotions when memory and loss are involved. This was the case for one woman whose simple attempt to locate a missing phone led to an unexpected emotional wave. Her mother, who lives with dementia, had misplaced her phone, and when the daughter called it to track it down, she heard a voicemail with her mother’s voice, which left her feeling both warm and deeply sad at the same time. The video was shared on TikTok by @catystanko on January 14, 2026, and it quickly resonated with many people. Hearing something familiar brought a sense of closeness, but it also reopened a wound she had been quietly carrying for years.
In the video, the woman explained the situation in her own words. “So my mother is nonverbal, she has dementia, and she lost her phone,” she shared. She said her dad had spent the morning trying to find it, and later she decided to call the phone herself. Her hope was that someone might answer or that it would somehow turn up. The phone remained dead, and no one picked up. However, when she called, she heard her mother’s voicemail message. That moment changed everything. The voicemail played her mother’s voice speaking in full sentences, something she had not heard in a long time.
Visibly overwhelmed, the woman struggled to hold back tears as she continued. She shared that she had not heard her mother talk in consecutive words for four years. “I want to talk to my mom so badly,” she said, explaining how painful it feels to live without those simple conversations. "I hate that this feeling is going to live inside me for the rest of my life." She admitted that the emotions do not always take over, but on that day, they did. Hearing the voicemail brought back memories of who her mother once was, which made the loss feel heavier. She described feeling like she was missing a huge part of her life and wishing she could be in a phase where she could still talk to her mom.
Toward the end of the video, she openly shared her sadness and frustration. She spoke about how some days feel harder than others and how that longing never fully goes away. “Today just feels like one of those days where it would be easier to be mad at everybody for nothing and to be sad about my mom. I really, really miss my mommy,” she said before ending the video with a simple but powerful statement, “Dementia sucks.” The clip touched many viewers, who filled the comments with kind words, support, and shared experiences. Many thanked her for speaking openly about grief, love, and the quiet pain of losing someone who is still physically present but slowly fading away.
@jessgranito shared, "My mom has severe aphasia due to a major stroke (from her cancer), and I feel your exact pain. Knowing my mom will never be able to give me a piece of advice or share her wisdom ever again is an unspeakable pain that no one understands." @sammygcmc4c advised, "Talk to your mom. She may not respond, but she can hear you. Hugs to you." @arigoodwoman expressed, "I’m so sorry you’re going through this. Your feelings are so valid. I can’t even imagine. Stay strong!"
For more dementia-related content, follow @catystanko on her TikTok account.
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