Grandson stuns granny with radio broadcast of birthday wishes from her family — her reaction is priceless

Planning a memorable surprise often requires going above and beyond to make loved ones feel extra special. While making the process unique, some moments are so special that they deserve more than a simple gesture. That’s why a grandson decided to orchestrate an unforgettable celebration for his grandmom on her 86th birthday.

Hailing from the United Kingdom, Dave Goodings—a content creator, radio presenter, and DJ—planned a mock news broadcast for his granny, Iris Howard. The grandson gathered the necessary resources to create a fake radio announcement wishing his grandmother a "Happy Birthday" live on a local station.

The video, uploaded in 2016, showed Goodings taking his grandmom out for a ride across the town on her special day. According to this ITV News story, "A 'radio DJ' is heard "interrupting the broadcast" to "bring some breaking news", before wishing the 86-year-old a happy birthday."

“Iris Howard is celebrating her birthday, commonly known for winning the best nan competition for ten years in a row,” said the 'radio DJ'. “The 86-year-old is often described as an incredible person and loved by all her friends and family," he added. 

Howard, sitting inside the car, was shocked and amused when she heard her name in the middle of the show. Additionally, the elderly woman’s emotional reactions to her birthday announcement were captured through hidden cameras installed inside the vehicle. Emphasizing his desire to do something different for his nan on her birthday, Goodings included a caption: "Once she was in the car and thought she was listening to the radio, she suddenly got the biggest shock of her life."

Following this, the fake radio broadcaster started reading birthday messages from Howard’s near and dear ones, as Goodings had planned. The first messages on the list were from her immediate family members, including a new entrant, her granddaughter Hannah. “Time now to hear some birthday messages,” the announcement during the radio show paused, followed by the voices of her other grandchildren, Steve and Liz. “I’m not sure, but remember, you can’t look a day older than 21. Whoo! Happy birthday,” the granddaughter could be heard saying in the four-minute-long video. After that, Howard’s daughter Pat, who couldn’t join the celebrations, had a special message for her.

While wishing her mom a “Happy Birthday,” Pat said, “Sorry, I couldn’t be there. I’m on holiday, but you know what my husband’s like. He’s very demanding. Anyway, you have a great time. Don’t give in to peer pressure with these youngsters. Don’t let them lead you astray. You have a great time.”

Upon hearing her daughter’s voice, Howard broke down in tears. While asking his grandma not to get emotional, the grandson revealed how he got a message from her brother, who was living in Australia at the time. Her brother, who shared a close relationship with her, recalled an anecdote from their childhood.

“When I was a young fellow, my dear sister used to take me to the river to feed the ducks. When she was here in Australia a couple of years ago, she told me she had to stop taking me because of my bad language,” he remarked, concluding with, “I explained to her that I was saying ducks and ducklings as any well-called-up young fellow would.” The grandson’s heartfelt surprise for his “nanny” won him applause on social media, garnering over 1.6 million views. Among the countless reactions, @GoddardEmpire commented, “Damn ninjas cutting onions again! My eyes, they water like no tomorrow.” “What a great family! That’s what it’s about,” @TheyROutThere lauded.

You can follow David Goodings (@davidgoodings) on YouTube for more lifestyle content.