Mom Gives Her Son, 12, a Sweet ShoutOut During His School Ceremony. What Happens Next Shocks the Whole Room (Exclusive) Georgia SlaterJanuary 27, 2026 at 5:30 AM 0 Erica Carillo and her son Kyle. Courtesy of Erica Carillo A 12yearold's reaction to his mom's shoutout during his Honor Roll assembly is going viral Erica Carillo tells PEOPLE her son's response was "unexpected and really sweet" "I hope it reminds people that expressing love openly is something to be celebrated," Carillo says of what she hopes her nowviral video teaches others A mom's video showing her 12yearold son's sweet gesture ...
- - Mom Gives Her Son, 12, a Sweet Shout-Out During His School Ceremony. What Happens Next Shocks the Whole Room (Exclusive)
Georgia SlaterJanuary 27, 2026 at 5:30 AM
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Erica Carillo and her son Kyle.
Courtesy of Erica Carillo
A 12-year-old's reaction to his mom's shout-out during his Honor Roll assembly is going viral
Erica Carillo tells PEOPLE her son's response was "unexpected and really sweet"
"I hope it reminds people that expressing love openly is something to be celebrated," Carillo says of what she hopes her now-viral video teaches others
A mom's video showing her 12-year-old son's sweet gesture during a school ceremony has captured the hearts of many.
In a now-viral video, Erica Carillo, 39, documents the moment her son Kyle Carillo Jr. receives his award at an Honor Roll ceremony. As Kyle goes up to collect his certificate, Carillo shouts from the background, "Love you, son!"
To her surprise, and to the rest of the crowd in the gymnasium, Kyle proudly yells back, "Love you too, Mom!" His response struck a chord with the crowd, as everyone could be heard saying "aw" in unison in the background.
"When your son is not afraid to love you out loud," Carillo wrote over the clip, which has millions of likes and views.
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Carillo tells PEOPLE she was only expecting "a smile or a wave" from her son, and that his reaction to call back to her was "unexpected and really sweet."
"It was a genuine moment that caught me off guard in the best way," she says.
While Carillo says she and her son often say "I love you," his decision to proudly say it in front of his friends was not the norm.
Erica Carillo and her son Kyle.
Courtesy of Erica Carillo
"[Kyle] shouting it across a crowded room in front of his peers was not typical, which is what made it so special," she explains. "It reflected his genuine, openhearted nature."
Carillo explains that she decided to share her video to remind others that "expressing love openly is something to be celebrated."
"You can't get back lost time, so it's important to say how you feel while you can," she adds.
Erica Carillo and her son Kyle.
Courtesy of Erica Carillo
In the comments of Carillo's video, many celebrated Kyle's response as well as Carillo's parenting.
"He said: 'Love you too mom,' and set the bar for the other boys 😂," one user wrote, while another added, "Both y'all are goals I love it."
"Aww she raised him well 🥹 A true man indeed," another person shared.
While Carillo wasn't expecting the clip to take off the way it did, she tells PEOPLE she's grateful for the "incredibly kind" responses she's received since posting.
"I shared it simply because it meant something to me as a mom, and I never expected it to resonate with so many people."
on People
Source: "AOL Entertainment"
Source: Entertainment
Published: January 27, 2026 at 05:45AM on Source: OPERA MAG
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