Grandma wrote Steven Spielberg a letter right before she passed — with one tearjerking request

Grandmothers are an absolute treasure that only a few lucky ones get to experience in their lives. They not only buy us our favourite things (which our parents specifically barred us from), but also support our uphill journey in life. Their presence may be short-lived in most of our journeys, but their love is infinite — it echoes within our hearts long after they pass on. An actor and social media personality, Shane Graham — who goes by the username @shaneagraham on Instagram — shared a video reading out his grandmother’s letter to Steven Spielberg, and the reason behind her writing it will leave you in tears.

After his wife’s grandmother, Irma Balogh — who considered him like her own grandchild and vice versa — passed on April 22, 2025, the family was going through her stuff in her kitchen. After a thorough search down her memory lane, they discovered a letter Balogh had written to the American filmmaker Steven Spielberg on a “scratch paper with pineapples,” but never sent. It was a stash that she'd compiled moments before her passing. The letter revealed that the 92-year-old wanted to convince Spielberg to offer Graham a project in an upcoming movie because she believed he was a great actor — he also mentioned that “she was my biggest cheerleader” — indeed!

Balogh mentioned in the letter how Spielberg was a great artist and his work inspired many — she mentioned that if he offered a job to Graham, he would be “greatly benefited.” She also wrote, “I have no financial gain from seeing him succeed. BTW (by the way), I am Shane’s 92-year-old grandmother-in-law who knows in my heart that this fine, talented young man will reach further in his chosen profession.” Her beautiful act of kindness towards Graham won the Internet — a world that is doomed by the scarcity of kindness and support seems to be getting back on its feet, and the credit only goes to people like Balogh.

According to a 2018 study by Stephen F. Duncan, most children find an inexplicable acceptance and support in their relationships with their grandparents — it benefits them emotionally and mentally. Grandparents are especially their biggest support during family conflicts, apart from being their favorite partners to play with. They can also serve as role models and mentors for their grandchildren, teaching them values, sharing their heritage, history, and lineage, and passing on family traditions. Therefore, it proves that our grandmothers can sometimes be our biggest cheerleaders — when our parents fail to understand us, they will always be ready with a hug to uplift our souls and push us to achieve our dreams.

After watching the wholesome video, viewers were struck by a wave of emotions. @averagejoesguide expressed, “How lovely! Every word she wrote was true. You are a multi-talented actor who will achieve the notoriety you deserve,” while @itswinterandrews wrote, “This is so beautiful, what a loving tribute to and from her.” Finally, @rosie.posie62 shared, “Aww! This is just so very sweet and adorable! Love this so very much! And I’m so very sorry that your beloved grandma passed away! It sounds like she really was your biggest fan, alright… My deepest condolences and sympathies on her unfortunate passing! But I do know that you will see her again one day! May she rest in peace.”

You can follow Shane Graham (@shaneagraham) on Instagram for more wholesome content.