Seeing your child graduate from college or high school is one of the most special moments in a parent’s life. Those who have experienced it recall the pride and uncontrollable happiness when their not-so-little one completes a long-anticipated goal. Dennis Roach, a father from Texas, felt this joy tenfold in 2018 when he recreated a photo with his daughter after her high school graduation. The result delighted people around the world.
In 2000, Dennis celebrated his high school graduation with his toddler daughter, Tori. They captured the moment with a photo of Dennis kissing young Tori, a perfect way to commemorate the day.
Fast forward to 2018, Tori Roach celebrated her own high school graduation. Naturally, Dennis was there to share the moment, and they had the brilliant idea to recreate their cherished photo from 18 years earlier. In the new photo, Tori, now grown, is once again cradled in her father’s arms, receiving a kiss on the cheek. When Tori posted both photos on Twitter, they quickly went viral, garnering nearly 150,000 likes and 57,000 reposts.
Under the photo, Tori wrote, “18 years later.” Fans adored the post, leaving comments like, “This is the cutest thing ever,” and “One of the best pictures I have seen.” Many were struck by how little Dennis seemed to have aged. Comments included, “What is the age of your father? He appears to be ageless,” and jokes like, “I think you froze your father until you grew up.
The unexpected popularity of the post surprised Tori. After graduating, she clarified that her father, then 37, wasn’t single. She shared Dennis’s pride with People magazine, saying, “There were a ton of notifications when I woke up. People kept liking, commenting, and sharing. My father was really pleased with himself. In our small town, nothing like this usually happens. He said, ‘That’s awesome!’”
Reflecting on the experience, Tori noted, “I feel that not many other people get to experience that, so in a way, it brought me and my dad closer.”
