Grandfather Walks 6 Km To See Newborn Granddaughter Through Window

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."

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.