Twitter | @Onaaab

Woman Wears Inflatable Hippo Costume So She Can Safely Hug Mom At Nursing Home

Updated September 8, 2021

As a society, we have made numerous sacrifices and changes changes to our lives in an effort to combat the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, and perhaps the most heartbreaking of those has to do with showing affection through physical contact.

Hugs. I'm talking about hugs.

I was never much of a hugger before, but you can bet I would give anything to be able to safely embrace the people I love, even if only for a moment. I'd even go so far as to wear a silly inflatable animal costume to do so. And that's something that me and one Virginia woman have in common.

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The unnamed woman was recently featured in a viral video showcasing her creative solution to social distancing measures.

Twitter | @NickyBoler

In the clip, which was posted to Twitter by her son-in-law, she can be seen wearing an inflatable hippo costume, complete with a pink lace tutu, as she approaches the doors to Fox Trails Senior Living Home in Stephens City, Virginia.

Her purpose? Why, to hug her dear old mom, of course.

As it turns out, the nursing home has been allowing residents to hug their family members, so long as they are safely sterilized and protected.

"This is wonderful!" the mom in the video exclaims as first lays eyes on her hippo-clad daughter.

The two then gratefully embrace as onlooking nurses film the tender moment and "aww" at how gosh darn sweet of a sight it is.

Understandably, the video has gone viral on Twitter and has users gushing over the heartwarming moment shared between mother and daughter.

Twitter | @Onaaab

I love this," one person wrote. "Bringing a little tear. How amazing is this nursing home to get creative!"

Another added, "Easily the best thing I've seen all day."

As the world remains an uncertain place and coronavirus fears prevent us from hugging our loved ones, stories like this certainly do well to warm our hearts.

We're facing an unprecedented outbreak unlike anything we've ever seen before, and we're understandably fearful for both our own health, and the health of others, particularly of our loved ones.

And while it may seem like an end is no where in sight, it will do us good to remember that one day this outbreak will be a piece of our history, not our present.

And one day we'll be able to freely hug the people we love, with or without an inflatable hippo costume. That part's just personal preference.

h/t: Video: Twitter | @Onaaab, Photos: Twitter | @Onaaab

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