First grader's moving poem for her late brother leaves everyone in tears: 'My brother Angel'

Who says there exists a deeper love than the one between siblings? You might often see them argue and fight like cats and dogs, but their love—when it comes to supporting and protecting each other—is unshakable. A similar sentiment was witnessed when a first grader, Khali, recited a heartfelt poem about her late brother, Houston, leaving social media deeply touched by the precious moment. This incredibly beautiful story was also featured on Good Morning America. (@GMA)  

In 2023, Khali's mother, Tijinee Dampeer, was pregnant with twin boys, Houston and Dallas. Although she went into early labor, Dampeer successfully delivered the babies. However, their happiness was short-lived, as the twin boys were immediately transferred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) after their delivery. Everything was still under control until Houston passed away at four months from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Even though the family had an idea of what possibly could go wrong, the loss was unbearable. "They had kind of let us know, ahead of time, that he was the twin I was struggling with the most. I would say we had, you know, kind of some education about what could happen after, but the reality was very traumatic," Dampeer shared. 

Meanwhile, Khali, the big sister, was having a difficult time mourning the loss of her beloved brother, Houston. "Khali thinks about her brother a lot. Khali has big emotions. She is very vocal about her feelings," Dampeer revealed to the outlet. Additionally, she went on to share that one day, her daughter came home and talked about missing her brother, Houston, at school. "So, I was like, 'It's okay to think about him. Why don't you just go and write about him, you know, to help you feel better?" she said. This was what motivated Khali to write her poem, "My Brother Angel," about her late sibling, Houston. Moreover, Dampeer shared that although Khali produced the original poem all by herself, they did tweak it a bit to refine it. 

Finally, in January 2025, the little girl recited her poem at her school's talent show and secured the first prize. A part of her poem read, "When I laugh, or when I play, I know he is still with me every day." Taking to the media outlet, Khali shared that she was a bit nervous and initially thought that nobody would like her poem. "But they actually liked it," she added. On the other hand, her mother, Dampeer, had a tough time controlling her emotions when she saw her daughter on the stage. She said, "I felt like she was doing something that I could not deliver. So, it was kind of me grieving through her in a better way." She was proud to watch her daughter come up with "something so artistic" and deliver a message to the people. 

Notably, Khali and Dampeer have written a book called "My Brother Angel and Other Poems," which is essentially a self-help book containing poems and activities to help children tackle grief. "Most of all, I just want people to take from this that it's okay to cry. It's okay to let it out. It's okay to express yourself because you never know when someone else needs that, or when someone else is feeling the same way. And you have something to refer to that can help you feel better or help you heal through a traumatic process," Dampeer concluded.