Woman was heartbroken after visiting mom in hospital—until a note on car door handle made her jaw drop

In moments of uncertainty, a simple act of kindness can remind us of the good in the world. For Alyvia Russell, this act of kindness came in the form of a note left on her car handle. It happened she was coming back after visiting her mom in the hospital. She also found a flower with a note that read, "You are perfect." Shocked and moved by the unexpected gesture, she shared the moment on her TikTok account @lyvs_spamm, where her video quickly went viral, amassing millions of views. Alyvia shared the whole story and her experience with PEOPLE. 

She explained that her mother, Athena, had been dealing with serious health complications. After noticing symptoms like trouble breathing and swollen feet, they rushed Athena to urgent care and then to the hospital. Since then, Alyvia has been visiting her mom every day, trying to comfort her while watching her struggle with pain and fear. "What was most challenging was seeing my mom cry because she was scared. Not being able to cure her magically was making me upset too because I was sitting in her room trying to entertain her, but I could tell she was in pain," Alyvia explained. 

After a particularly tough day at the hospital, Alyvia left to grab gas before heading home. As she walked toward her car, the flower and note on her door handle immediately caught her attention. At first, she thought it might be a scam or some kind of trick. "But when I saw the same flower and note on every car in the parking lot, I realized it was a random act of kindness," she said. Her emotional reaction was immediate, "I started tearing up a little because I hadn’t heard any good news that day, and seeing that was honestly the best part of my day." Alyvia posted the moment online, hoping to share the kindness with others and possibly track down the person who had left the note, and it struck a chord with many.

@Kira Klapprodt revealed, "Wait I saw the video of the girls who did this." @prettyluh_zoeyy said, "There’s still some kindness left in the world." @opzqtsz commented, "I don’t tend to like trends, but I think this one is the cutest. That’s so sweet." @slipdipduck wrote, "This is adorable...I am praying for you, sweet girl." Alyvia’s mom, Athena, was also moved when she saw the video and read the flood of supportive comments. "The warmth and love from complete strangers has been amazing," Athena said. Since the emotional encounter, Alyvia has kept the flower and note on her car dashboard as a reminder of the small gesture that made a huge impact on her. "I usually like to keep my car clean, but I’ve kept it there because it’s such a meaningful reminder of the kindness that brightened my day," Alyvia shared.

The flowers also inspired Alyvia to surprise her mom with a bouquet. "I went to Trader Joe’s and picked up some white and red roses, baby’s breath, and eucalyptus," she said. Reflecting on the experience, Alyvia hopes others take away the lesson that even small acts of kindness can have a huge impact. "Even the little things matter," she said. "You never know how much someone might need a simple gesture to brighten their day. And if you can’t be there in person, reach out, because you never know how much your words can mean to someone."

You can follow Alyvia Russell (@lyvs_spamm) on TikTok for more vlog-style content.