Daughter who watched mom fight homelessness all her life surprises her with the bedroom she never had

Growing up, Ana Duarte (@anaelizabethduarte) never had a place to call her own, and neither did her mom. They moved in and out of shelters, hoping to have a roof over their head, but nothing worked in their favor. However, everything changed after Ana graduated and landed a well-paying job. Now, she was not only able to buy groceries and pay rent, but she could also afford a room for her mom. She posted her mother's emotional reaction on TikTok on August 30, 2025. 

In her post, Ana said that ever since she was born, her mom had been in and out of homelessness. In fact, having a place to call their own was a dream they never thought could be true. "But nothing is impossible with God," she added. When Ana moved in, she gave the master bedroom to her mom because the fact that she never had a room of her own broke her heart. She also decorated the room with thoughtful details that made it even more special. "Life wasn’t easy, but here’s to new beginnings. Friendly reminder that this is our parents’ first time living too," she wrote.

As Anna called her mom inside, she was awestruck looking at the beautiful room, which her daughter had decorated with only love and warmth. "Wow," her mom said, and rushed towards the bedside table to grab their picture on it. The woman didn't speak much, but her eyes spoke volumes about how proud she was of her child. Every year, more than half a million students drop out of high school, according to a US Department of Education (USDOE) publication. When the National Longitudinal Study investigated the reasons, they found 32% had to get a job and make money to care for their family.

Similarly, Ana's mom had also dropped out of high school to care for her family when her father was diagnosed with a serious illness, PEOPLE reported. Ever since then, her only goal had been to provide for her struggling family. "It was exhausting, but I watched my mom work tirelessly, and that resilience is what carried me through," Ana added. Meanwhile, reacting to her video, @carowotring commented, "The fact that she went to the picture of you too before looking at anything else — it's the little things. Congrats to you both!" @sierras707 wrote, "You're rich in the best way possible. My mom has struggled severely through life and, as a result, is a hoarder. She's never truly had a nice room before, and this video brought me to tears. Taking care of my mom is one of the first things on my list when I’m financially able to."

Echoing the sentiments, @elenaschumakoff said, "You did such a good job. Following your account, and I hope you guys continue to live in comfort and bliss for eternity." @karolina_kozbial revealed, "Love this! I was raised by a single mom, and times were not always so easy; they definitely deserve to get the extra love in the little things! Happy for you and your mama!" @kalencrawford22 commented, "I seriously cried! This is beautiful. Thank you for taking care of your mama. Just because you grow up doesn’t mean you forget your parents."

You can follow Ana Duarte (@anaelizabethduarte) on TikTok for lifestyle content.

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