Mom films toddler who suddenly 'forgot' to walk — is flooded with comments pointing out the same thing

Sometimes, the internet and the online community show up in ways no one would ever expect. For one mom in St. Louis, a moment of uncertainty led to an outpouring of support from strangers, all thanks to a single video shared on TikTok, as per First Alert. Reign Lee, a mother of three and creator behind the TikTok account @officialreignk, posted a video in early February showing her two daughters. Winnie, the younger of the two, had just turned one and was confidently walking. However, Willow, who was about to turn three, was struggling to walk.

"She doesn't know how to walk anymore," Lee said in the video, which showed Willow repeatedly being encouraged to stand up while clinging to the side of a bed. Willow appeared to be losing her balance and strength. In the clip, Lee gently encouraged her daughter to try standing again and again. But Willow struggled to get on her feet. She seemed tired, unsure, and increasingly frustrated.

With her due date approaching, Lee was nine months pregnant at the time. Caring for two children under the age of three, she turned to TikTok for help, asking, "Have your little toddlers ever just stopped walking? Did they show signs of something being wrong?" The video reached nearly 40 million views. What followed was a flood of concerned and informed comments urging her to take immediate action. @2lam2 wrote, "Go get them checked both of them for rickets! Their legs are arched." @Clearlyy commented, "She needs to be seen immediately. Please don't wait another day!" @TazWahala noted, "With the sudden visible discomfort in walking, I'd take her to the ER to be safe. Time could be of the essence."

@sarah9t3 added, "I think both children have rickets. The way your one-year-old is walking with the wide stance shows it." Lee responded to the outpouring of support with gratitude. She wrote in comments, "I appreciate all the supportive and caring comments! Thanks for not judging me for posting this. I just wanted to see if anyone experienced the same." That same day, she brought Willow to the hospital herself, despite being nearly full-term with her third child. There, doctors confirmed what so many had suspected. Willow was diagnosed with rickets, a severe form of vitamin D deficiency that affects bone development and muscle weakness in children, per the outlet.

Lee explained in a follow-up video, "Her bones are really, really weak. And her calcium is really, really low. And her vitamin D is also very low. We are going to start treatment for that." Since the start of the treatment, Willow has started to use a feeding tube to ensure she’s receiving the right nutrients, and she attends physical therapy to rebuild her strength. In recent TikToks, she can be seen making progress—walking, playing and smiling alongside her sisters. A GoFundMe launched to support Willow’s care has raised over $16,000. Through it all, Lee has credited the TikTok community for not only giving her direction but for doing so with compassion. She said, "I've never heard of rickets before. We know rickets are very rare."

You can follow Reign Lee (@officialreignk) on TikTok to follow along Willow's journey.