Photo: @kellibest0 / TikTok
It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.
By Megan Quinn — Written on Jun 07, 2023
One father attempts to hold himself together as he drops off his daughter at college in a bittersweet video that has many parents relating as they recall the moment they dropped their own children off to start their new lives away from home.
In a TikTok video that has gained over 12 million views, Kelli Finch Best sits in the car after dropping off her daughter on her first day of college. As a piece of her heart walked away into her new reality, her husband came to the realization that he would also be thrown into a new one.
The man’s wife records hied reaction to dropping off their daughter at college.
As their daughter headed into her dorm building on her new college campus, Best caught her husband struggling to contain his emotions as he watched her. The father’s face conveys a mix of pride, sadness, fear, joy, and every emotion possible a parent can experience while dropping off their children at college for the first time.
For a brief moment, the father is seen smiling while fighting back tears. He gazes at his daughter for over 20 seconds before the video ends.
“Caught my husband watching his life walk away from him after we dropped her off at college,” Best captioned the emotional video.
Other TikTok users were overwhelmed with emotion after watching the father’s reaction.
“Oh my gosh, I’m nearly in tears with him,” one user commented. “This is so wholesome. My gosh,” another user wrote.
“Oh man, this absolutely ripped my heart out!!! I just wanna hug the poor guy, one dad to another,” another user added.
Other parents recalled similar moments dropping off their children at school.
“Years ago I choked back tears when I dropped off my daughter. When she was inside and I got in the car is when I lost it. I feel this,” one user shared. “Kindred spirit. Every year the first day of school this is me. I cried walking away from dropping off my baby at preschool,” another user revealed.
“It never ends. The first day of daycare. Kindergarten. High School. Their wedding day. It’s all so emotional for parents,” another user pointed out.
As for the moment the father suddenly smiled on the verge of tears, Best confirmed that their daughter turned around to glance at him one last time and that he smiled at her since he didn’t want her to worry.
However, by the way he watched his daughter walk into her new school away from home, this father will be worried and watching over her for the rest of her life.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.