Molly's post on Twitter got more than 1.2 million likes and reached the hearts of countless internet users, brightening up their day and inspiring them to live their best lives. "I really cannot believe my post is getting this much attention. When I posted it, I was just joining a really popular trend happening on Twitter and now I’m at 1 million likes and it’s just crazy. I’m really thankful for everyone reaching out and I hope I can have a positive effect on at least one person’s life after they see our story," she shared how she's feeling about her unexpected fame.
Molly also shared her advice for anyone who might be struggling with their health right now. She said that it's vital to find one positive thing each day. "What you’re going through is really hard, and I’m sure many times it just feels like everything is negative, but if you can find just one thing even if it’s the smallest thing, it helps. Find people who will love and support you at your highs and lows because there will be many of each," she opened up.
Some of the other stories behind the pictures melt your heart, too. For example, Ciarán Shannon from Belfast shared photos of him and his daughter, Niamh, during the most important stages of her academic life. The 3 photos were taken by Niamh’s mom, Brenda, at the very same spot outside of their home.
Dad Ciarán’s tweet got nearly a million likes and became a worldwide sensation. The first photo was taken in 1999 during his daughter’s first day at school. The second picture was her last day at school in 2013. The final photo was taken in 2018 when she graduated from university. Niamh is now a maths and science teacher at the age of 25.
Ciarán was floored by the internet’s reaction. "I've just been watching the numbers go up and up. It's like watching the electric meter when the tumble dryer is on. I'm flabbergasted by the reaction my pictures have got. The good thing is that now nearly a million people know how proud I am of my daughter,” the proud dad told the BBC.
The ‘how it started vs. how it ended’ challenge is a new addition to the ranks of memes. The first time it was used was on September 23, 2020, according to Know Your Meme. The meme spread like wildfire since then. Now, there are two main offshoots of the meme that are more or less equally popular: ‘how it started vs. how it ended’ and ‘how it started vs. how it’s going.’
We’re hoping that the challenge doesn’t fizzle out anytime soon because we’d love to see more stories like those about Molly and Ryan, as well as about Ciarán and his daughter.
