Tears As Grandma With Alzheimer's Remembers Her Best Friend

A woman with Alzheimer's has melted hearts online after she embraced and remembered her best friend in a touching holiday reunion.

Paige Woodford (@pwoodyyy), 23, from Ohio, shared heart-wrenching footage of her grandmother, Ruth Ann Lambert, 86, and her best friend, Marilyn, 92, who surprised her on Christmas Day. The video garnered 5.4 million views and 1.3 million likes on TikTok.

"It's been a long road with Alzheimer's, as it is for everyone who goes through it. There are good days and bad, and days she's irritated and frustrated, and days she can joke about 'not having a brain anymore.' I took this video to show that all you can do is enjoy the good moments, and try to be present in those brief snippets of time where we see the woman my grandma used to be," Woodford told Newsweek.

A Life Well-Lived

Ruth Ann Lambert was born on September 27, 1937, in Ironton, Ohio. Shortly after her birth, her family relocated to Cincinnati following the loss of their home due to the steel mill closures that affected her father's job. She later attended the University of Cincinnati, where she earned a degree in education.

On the day of her graduation, her college sweetheart proposed to her. The couple, who first met on a blind date, went on to share a loving marriage that lasted 62 years. Together, they had four children, 10 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

As a grandmother, Lambert was known for her warmth and creativity. "Grandma always had fun crafts for us to do, and made up songs and games to play...definitely the teacher in her!" Woodford shared.

Woodford described her grandparents as incredibly supportive figures, always present at their grandchildren's events with smiles on their faces.

Lambert was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and vascular dementia around the age of 79.

At the time, her husband, still mentally sharp, helped make the decision to move into a resort-style retirement community where they had their own condo but could access meals and activities as needed. After his passing in 2021, Lambert's daughters moved her to an assisted living facility, and eventually to a memory care wing.

A Friendship That Stood the Test of Time

The friend in the video, Marilyn, has been a part of Lambert's life for many years. Marilyn and her late husband had been close friends with the Lamberts for decades.

Despite moving away from the neighborhood where they first met, Marilyn remained a constant presence in Lambert's life.

"On Christmas, we have invited Marilyn for dinner the past two years as a surprise for grandma. We weren't sure if she'd recognize her this year, but as you see, she did. They sit and talk and laugh, and it's absolutely precious. What's really amazing is that Marilyn is still extremely sharp, and she is 92!" Woodford explained.

Lucid Moments in Alzheimer's

According to the Mayo Clinic, individuals with Alzheimer's sometimes experience lucid episodes—brief moments when memories resurface and cognitive function appears temporarily restored.

While the cause of these moments remains uncertain, they are often cherished by loved ones as glimpses of the person they knew before the disease took hold.

The Alzheimer's Association estimates that approximately 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's, a number expected to rise to nearly 13 million by 2050, as the population ages.

TikTok Reacts

The emotional reunion resonated with viewers, many of whom shared their own experiences with dementia and Alzheimer's in the comments.

"My grandma met her best friend on the first day of elementary school. They both shared the same first name. When my grandma was dying, her best friend visited her for a last time and read her a goodbye letter. I sat next to them and just cried. It was the most wholesome, loving, and bittersweet moment I've ever witnessed," said Val.

"Girlhood knows no bounds," said Michaela.

"We lost my nan a year ago in January to dementia. The days she remembered me were the best. She didn't always know our names, but she knew she loved us," said Bo.

"My grandma had dementia and I just remember one of the last times I saw her, she made a sarcastic comment, and I was so happy because that was so HER," said Katie.

"I lost my gpa to dementia & I'm not sure he could tell who I was towards the end, but he'd always say 'I love you' after visiting him just like he would before. Souls recognize souls," another user shared.