Coronavirus Lockdown: A grandfather walks over six kilometers to see his granddaughter.
A grandfather in Michigan, USA, is going to extraordinary lengths to see his newborn granddaughter, walking for over six kilometers regularly to watch her through a glass window. "It breaks my heart that my dad can't hold my daughter," Joshua Gillett wrote in an Instagram post that has struck a chord with thousands. He also shared a photo that shows his father looking at granddaughter Elliana through a window. The picture comes as Michigan issued a stay-home order to contain the spread of coronavirus.
"Today, my dad walked over 4 miles to our house so he could see Elliana through the window... again," Mr Gillett wrote while sharing the photo, which shows his father smiling from behind a glass pane. "This has become a regular thing. It breaks my heart that my dad can't hold my daughter."
He explained that his father - who has not been named - did get to hold Elliana before COVID-19 locked them down, but only twice. "Now, his granddaughter is finally here and the only thing he can hold are the daily pictures we send him. However, he knows this is temporary," wrote Mr Gillett.
He concluded his post by asking people to stay home and practise social distancing during the pandemic, saying: "If this grandpa can resist coming inside and loving his first grandchild, I know the rest of us can do this too."
This is not normal. This is not fun. This is actually the worst feeling ever - but I know this is temporary. • • Today, my dad walked over 4 miles to our house so he could see Elliana through the window... again. This has become a regular thing. It breaks my heart that my dad can't hold my daughter. However, as you can clearly see on my dad's face, he's overflowing with joy just to see her. He only got to hold her twice before #covid_19 locked us down. I hate that having a window between us is the only way she can see her grandpa - but again, I remember this is temporary. • • While my wife was pregnant, I don't think an hour went by where my dad didn't brag about becoming a grandpa soon. Now, his granddaughter is finally here and the only thing he can hold are the daily pictures we send him. However, he knows this is temporary. • • Even if you aren't worried about catching it yourself: #stayhome for the new dads and moms who can't wait to have the world meet their new baby. #stayhome for the grandparents who want to hold their new grandchild more than anything. #stayhome for the pregnant mom and nervous dad who are about to welcome home their newest family member. #stayhome for the greatgrandparents who know time is a gift. #stayhome for all the businesses who anxiously wait to open back up. #stayhome for the teachers and kids who are eager to get back to school. And especially, #stayhome for the doctors and nurses who are fighting this head on and would give anything to just #stayhome and hold their kids. • • If this grandpa can resist coming inside and loving his first grandchild, I know the rest of us can do this too. • • #girldad #thedad #stayhealthy #washyourhands
A post shared by Josh Gillett (@joshuagillett) on
Since being shared online, the photo has collected over 4,600 'likes' and a ton of comments.
"Your dad is a sweetheart," said one person in the comments section. "So well said and so true. All the best to your beautiful family and daughter," another wrote.
This is only the latest in a long line of moving posts about family members who have had to stay apart due to coronavirus. In March, photos of a granddaughter telling her grandfather about her engagement through a glass window had gone viral on social media.
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