Some dreams take longer to come true than others, but with the help of 21st-century social media and her Gen Z great-grandson, at the age of 110, one British woman is realizing hers at long last.
At the end of World War I, Amy Hawkins was a 7-year-old child who loved nothing more than to sing and dance. As a teen, Hawkins set her sights on becoming an entertainer.
Hawkins was on her way, touring the country with a dance troupe—until her ambition to tread the boards was cut short by her mom who didn’t see it as a respectable occupation for a young lady.
All these years later, the supercentenarian chanteuse lives at home in Monmouth, South Wales, surrounded by her loved ones. The four-generation family unit includes her granddaughter, Hannah Freeman, and Freeman’s 14-year-old son, Sacha. Even though she’s no longer doing it professionally, Hawkins has never stopped singing.
“She’s like a clock, once you wind her up she won’t stop,” Freeman said in an interview with the BBC. “She just keeps asking, ‘Would you like another one?’.”
While others were not so fortunate, Freeman’s family felt blessed to be together throughout the course of the COVID-19 lockdown. Especially, Freeman notes, since the tight-knit arrangement has allowed Sacha and Hawkins to form a deep and loving bond.
On Hawkins’ 110th birthday, Sacha videoed his great-gran singing one of her favorite WWI tunes, It’s a Long Way to Tipperary. When Freeman jokingly suggested Sacha post it to TikTok, neither of them could have imagined the overwhelmingly upbeat response it would receive, reaching 100,000 views and a bevy of emotional accolades in just days.
@sachafreeman0 My great grandma enjoying her birthday #fpy #foryoupage #old #supergran #uk #1911 #birthday #song #music #old #oldestontiktok #wales #celebrate #tea
♬ original sound - Sacha Freeman
“Reading the comments, people have been in tears, because they miss their family or [think] about family they have lost,” Freeman told the BBC. “I think that has been a real lesson for Sacha too and has restored my faith in humanity in such a difficult time for everyone.”
Some journeys take longer than others. Sometimes, we’re detoured along the way. But dreams can and do come true every day. While it’s been a long time coming, Amy Hawkins is entertaining a whole new generation of fans.
Admittedly, “It’s a long way to Tipperary,” but when Amy Hawkins sings, our “heart’s right there.”
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Precious!