SAVANNAH, Ga. (NewsNation Now) — Calls and video chats have helped many stay connected in recent months, but there’s nothing quite like seeing your best friend face-to-face.
Iesha Stephens says her son Legend and his buddy Caius have been inseparable since they were 5 months old.
Stephens tells NewsNation affiliate WSAV that Legend switched schools in August, so the boys went from seeing each other every day to the occasional play date.
After two months apart, their families met up at a pumpkin patch in Powder Springs, Georgia, and a video of their reunion hit home for many people online.
“I wish we never lose that when we grow up. More adults need to revisit a preschool,” one Twitter user wrote.
“They are healing to the world,” another shared.
“It brings happy tears to my eyes. Kids are not born to hate,” a tweet reads.
Others shared their own stories of lifelong friendships and reunions months in the making.
Stephens said Legend and Caius have grown up together, from playing in the sandbox and learning to crawl to visiting the pumpkin patch each year.
She said she was surprised to see the viral response to the video (now with nearly 45,000 retweets and over 330,000 likes) but felt it made sense in today’s climate.
“So many people are pinned against one another, yet here we have two little boys who could care less about what’s happening in the world, and their biggest concern is missing one another,” Stephens shared. “People connected with that innocence and love they have for each other despite the ugliness adults see every day.”
When Legend heard about everyone liking the video, Stephens said he was just as surprised.
“He said ‘Really mommy? Where are they? Can I tell them thank you?’” Stephens tweeted.
Due to the overwhelming response, she has set up an Instagram account to chronicle the boys’ friendship. You can follow along here.