Toddler asked her parents to meet her best friend — they weren’t prepared for the place she took them to
Children see the world through a different lens, sometimes in ways adults struggle to understand. A mom, Emily Fuller, shared that her toddler insisted on going to meet her “best friend.” What began as an innocent request slowly unfolded into a deeply emotional moment she wasn’t prepared for. In the video, under the handle @itsemilyfuller, Fuller explained that her daughter had been talking repeatedly about a friend named Grace and asking to visit her. It was not something Fuller ever expected. Hearing her constant request, the parents decided to follow their daughter. In the clip, which has garnered over 687,000 likes, the toddler excitedly ran to show where her friend was.
“Can you show me where she is?” the mother asked. “She is right here,” she said. As the camera panned, the toddler pointed toward a grave with the name Grace Olsen. The toddler appeared calm and certain, repeating the name with familiarity. “That's Grace,” she said, as if proudly introducing her friend. Fuller shared that they had been there before. While at the cemetery, the kid inquired about the different headstones, and her father shared what each one read. She became thrilled when she saw a name matching hers, only to learn it was a baby’s.
“She’s begged us to take her here every single day,” read the overlay text of the video. In the caption, the mom shared that they had visited the spot five days in a row. The child had played around the site since their first visit. “I’m surprised that she remembers,” the dad said softly as the girl ran to the exact place where Grace was resting. “Wherever Grace Olsen’s parents are, I hope they know how much my daughter loves theirs,” she wrote in the caption. In an update, the mom shared that the family reached out to late Grace’s mother, who was deeply moved by the video. They plan to meet up next time Grace’s family visits the little girl.
The video struck a chord with viewers, with many sharing their reaction in the comment section. “My daughter found a child while we were visiting my brother-in-law's grave. She would ask to visit him and always dropped off her McDonald's toy for him," @meheidi36 recounted. @ _continentalbreakfast mentioned, "I would be honored if a child felt drawn to my grave to be friends after I passed. This is so sweet. I hope Grace’s parents take comfort in the fact that their baby has a friend.” @laceyromagnano remarked, “I lost my Grace in July. She sends me little signs, and I believe this video popping up was one of them.”
Moments like this may feel unusual to adults, but research suggests they are not uncommon. According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, kids with imaginary companions (ICs) show notable differences in their fantasy lives compared to those without them. The study examined 74 children aged between 3.2 and 8.7 years. It found five aspects of fantasy life: imaginary companions, dreams, daydreams, scary thoughts, and pretend play. The findings revealed that children with ICs were more likely to report vivid imagery during daydreaming and pretend play.
You can follow @itsemilyfuller on Instagram for more content.
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