A video on social media is gaining massive traction, which depicts a North Carolina woman’s grandmother over the moon over the successful launch and landing of the Artemis II. The granddaughter was able to capture the moment as they watched in anticipation.
Posted by TikTok user Morgangoodman27 (Morgan), Morgan’s grandmother can be seen in the video practically glued to the screen in her kitchen. They were watching the crew of Artemis II landing back on Earth. The caption over the video reads: “POV: your 95 year old grandma watches the first woman come back from the moon.” Morgan is of course referring to Christina Koch, who is in fact the first woman to orbit the moon.
Morgan’s grandma excitedly points at the screen, commenting on the trip (though you can’t hear what she’s saying), and has a big smile on her face. She isn’t even sitting, but watching the parachutes unfurl in real time, with her hands practically in prayer. What was particularly significant was what Morgan wrote in the caption: “She lived long enough to see it.”
Not only is the video incredibly wholesome, but its sense of representation is a big reason why Morgan’s TikTok gained so much attention. Seeing someone like Christina Koch achieve such a monumental goal is powerful, and it’s easy to imagine how many young girls it could inspire.
How People Are Reacting to Morgan’s TikTok Video Online
One TikTok viewer shared a very personal story of their mother, who has dementia. And despite her illness, they said, “She’s been focused on this trip in a way she hasn’t been focused on anything in years.” Even remembering that the flight took place, wanting to know they were “safe” and that there was indeed “a woman on the flight.” Others shared their stories too, with several giving the commenter props for being a “good daughter.”
Another TikTok user shared the impact Artemis II has had on her father, who used to have dreams of wanting to be an astronaut. “To see a Black man be the pilot for Artemis II has been something he never thought he would see in his 75 years of life,” she wrote, and was incredibly happy he got to witness it.
One commenter hoped the astronauts on Artemis II see the video, too. “I need Christina Koch to know Grandma was watching her,” they wrote. Another viewer hoped Morgan’s grandmother gets to “see the first woman President.”
Another TikTok viewer broke down the significance of the video precisely: “This woman grew up without rights, consent, or the ability to vote. This matters to her, especially right now.”
Although women had the right to vote for a decade before she was born, the broader sentiment still holds true. Progress was far from straightforward, from access to divorce and financial independence to the ongoing debate over reproductive rights. Many grandmothers today lived through those changes firsthand!
