Sesame Street’s latest YouTube segment posted to the Sesame Workshop channel has gone viral for its tender engagement with the subject of grief. Actor Andrew Garfield (The Amazing Spider-Man, We Live in Time) sat with muppet Elmo to open up about his mothers recent passing via Comicbook.com. Grab tissue because the viral video will have you hugging the people you love and missing the people you’ve lost.
The video begins with Garfield at the iconic Sesame Street stoop with Elmo at his side. Elmo tells Garfield he’s been going all over Sesame Street checking in to see how his friends are doing, with Garfield next on Elmo’s list. Garfield’s face lights up as he’s reunited with Elmo, reassuring him at first that he’s doing okay before hesitating, clearly with something on his mind. Garfield pauses a moment: “Oh, I don’t know…Are you sure you want to listen?”
Garfield admits that he’s been missing his mom lately and has her on his mind since her recent passing. The two share a moment of sadness and Elmo expresses his condolences. Garfield then shares an earnest lesson he’s learning through his grief and makes the memory of his mother come alive.
Garfield shares, “It’s actually kinda okay to miss somebody…that sadness, it’s kinda a gift, it’s kind of a lovely thing to feel. In a way, because it really means you love someone when you miss them. And when I miss someone I remember–when I miss my mom I remember all the cuddles I used to get from her, all the hugs I used to get from her. It makes me feel close to her when I miss her, in a strange way. So I’m happy to have all the memories of my mum and the joy she brought me, and the joy she brought my brother and dad and everyone she ever met. When I miss her, I remember it’s because she made me so happy. So I can celebrate her and I can miss her at the same time” via YouTube.
Elmo shares a hug with Garfield and promises to celebrate Garfield’s mom with him. Then, the two both encourage the audience to celebrate “the important and special people you miss too” in a reminder to embrace the power of remembering the people you’ve lost.