Teenager's essay about her mother reduces English teacher to tears

A teen’s heartwrenching essay that made her professor cry has gone viral on TikTok leaving readers “sobbing”.

Teenager Ryan Harman penned the personal essay when she was just 18 years old after losing her mother to cancer.

The TikTok has been viewed almost 7 million times and racked up 1 million likes as Harman shared screenshots of the story she penned about her mother’s untimely death.

Harman’s heartbreaking story began with her explaining that her mother had been diagnosed with Sarcoma cancer in January 2021.

At the time, Harman explained, her mum made it her mission to be around to see her children graduate and attend prom.

The TikToker wrote: “She never asked the doctors for a time expectancy, she wanted to live the best she could with her 3 children and her husband.

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“My mom had a goal from the start, to watch me go to my senior prom and to see me and my sister, Madeline, walk across the stage at graduation. She achieved both of those goals.”

TikTok/@ryharmann

As her mother’s condition worsened, Harman described the agony of knowing she was going to lose her mother, writing: “My heart shattered into a million pieces.”

Harman recalled being by her mother’s side almost constantly towards the end and feeling a sense of “relief” when the final moment came that “my mom passed away just the way she wanted to and I knew she wasn’t in pain anymore”.

The essay left other TikTokers in tears, with many in the comments commenting on how proud her mother would be of her.

“I can’t stop crying,” one person commented.

Another said: “Beautifully written, I know she is so proud of you.”

Someone else wrote: “I’m sobbing.”

One TikToker commented: “This has me ugly crying right now, you’re so strong. I know your mom is so proud of who you’ve become.”

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