'It was very emotional and obviously quite bittersweet,' said Holly recalling the moment.
Parents often go out of their way to fulfill their children's wishes, and as roles reverse, grown children often do the same. British country singer Holly Hewett (@hollyhewettt) did just that, taking her elderly father on a heartfelt journey to his childhood home in Scotland. He hadn’t even asked, but she wanted him to see it "for the last time," as she wrote in the caption of a 7-second TikTok video. The clip shows him gazing at a green field under a bright blue sky. Her father is rapidly losing his sight, and doctors say his blindness is incurable. Holly’s touching gesture went viral, moving millions to tears.
The emotional video struck a chord with viewers, leading to over 2,000 comments. @catherine_emma commented, “He will never forget this moment,” to which Holly replied, “He won’t, he told me how proud he was of me!” @strawberrykiwipercs lauded Holly’s act and said, “Not only are you a good daughter and person but also a beautiful soul, you’re truly ethereal!” @aprilf22121 called her the “best daughter he could probably ask for.”
In a subsequent interview with Newsweek, Holly revealed that she lives in London, England, and she took her father Gary to his home in Scotland to give him the best life he deserves. "I am trying to give him a reason to live, so I took him to Edinburgh in Scotland, where he was born, to see family and the place where he grew up." Gary previously worked in the Armed Forces and was posted in Northern Ireland during The Troubles. He also started a bricklaying business which was a success. Talking about her dad, Holly said, "He is a very strong, driven, warrior of a dad. He's my best friend really."
Sadly, a few years back, the father-daughter duo were hit by a devastating misfortune. In his forties, Gary was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. While the disease itself is uncurable, it can be managed, per Cleveland Clinic. However, in Gary’s case, the situation went out of control. From years and years of high blood pressure, Holly said, the disease ravaged his retinas. The graveness of the situation was further escalated when the possibility of his eye surgery was also postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now he is at “the point of no return.”
Failing eyesight sent Gary into a deep depression, said Holly. That’s why Holly came up with the idea of taking him to his hometown, where they stayed at an Airbnb. "It was very emotional and obviously quite bittersweet," she said, and added, "He loved it! Truly, he was very emotional and he didn't want to leave. He has some sight but not much and it's only going to get worse from here but he is a strong, positive man, with a big heart and a lot of love."
Recalling how her father felt when he was drinking in the view of his home country, Holly described "He was taken aback by how beautiful it was." She added that the stunning vista of rolling hills and vast fields of green that Gary was able to see, was breathtaking for him.
You can follow Holly Hewett (@hollyhewettt) on TikTok for more updates on her life with her dad and her career as a singer.
Share on Facebook
