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High School Valedictorian Delivers Graduation Speech Hours After Dad’s Funeral

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“I’m Ugly Crying”: 5-Yr-Old With Nonverbal Autism Wrecks Mom Saying Her First Word EVER

For parents, watching your child reach even the tiniest milestone can be a big win.

From crawling, to first steps to first words, seeing your baby grow and develop is enough to put a smile on ANY mama’s face. But nothing could quite compare to what Briana Blankenship experienced in the McDonald’s parking lot this week when her daughter Taylor, who has nonverbal autism, spoke for the VERY first time in five years.

And the word that came out of her little girl’s mouth was certainly music to this proud mama’s ears!

“I am ugly crying in the McDonald’s parking lot and the employees probably think I’m crazy,” Briana wrote on Facebook. “In the drive thru I suddenly heard Taylor say MAMA. For those of you that don’t know. Taylor is 5 and has nonverbal autism. She has NEVER said a word. EVER. As soon as she said it I grabbed my phone and started recording. I’m pretty sure I held up the drive thru line but there was no way I wasn’t getting proof of this. I can’t explain how unbelievably grateful and ecstatic I am right now. #AutismAwareness #BigWin”

Check out this beautiful ugly-cry-worthy moment in the video below: 

I am ugly crying in the McDonald’s parking lot and the employees probably think I’m crazy. In the drive thru I suddenly heard Taylor say MAMA.

For those of you that don’t know. Taylor is 5 and has nonverbal autism. She has NEVER said a word.EVER.

As soon as she said it I grabbed my phone and started recording. I’m pretty sure I held up the drive thru line but there was no way I wasn’t getting proof of this. I can’t explain how unbelievably grateful and ecstatic I am right now. #AutismAwareness #BigWin

*Edit* I need to add here that I own the rights to this video. To use this video in a commercial player or in broadcasts, please email licensing@storyful.com

Posted by Briana Blankenship on Monday, April 30, 2018

Kelsey Straeter
Kelsey Straeter
Kelsey is an editor at Outreach. She’s passionate about fear fighting, freedom writing, and the pursuit of excellence in the name of crucifying perfectionism. Glitter is her favorite color, 2nd only to pink, and 3rd only to pink glitter.

High School Valedictorian Delivers Graduation Speech Hours After Dad’s Funeral

Early College High School valedictorian Alem Hadzic has gone viral after he took the stage at his graduation ceremony to deliver his speech—just hours after his father's funeral. 

See the High School Graduation Trend That’s Making the Internet Cry

As the class of 2024 graduates and the school year comes to a close, there’s a new trend happening on social media that has all of us sentimentals feeling unwell over how fast time flies. 

Tears in a Bottle Verse: The Divine Comfort of Psalm 56:8

Discover the profound significance of the tears in a bottle verse, the context of Psalm 56:8. Explore the symbolism of tears in a bottle and the assurance of God's compassionate presence in times of sorrow.