Dad Going to Work Hears 'Wait'—Unprepared for What Security Cam Captures
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A father leaving for work was forced to make a U-turn after hearing "Wait!" coming from his driveway.
In security camera footage captured on the Ring doorbell, Aaron Weatherford pulled out of his driveway after calling out, "Bye! Love you!" to his family inside.
Seconds later, his 7-year-old daughter, Ella, runs after him yelling, "Dad! Wait! Dad!"
Split screen of Ring doorbell camera footage of Black car reversing out of driveway and 7-year-old girl holding up her arm.
Split screen of Ring doorbell camera footage of Black car reversing out of driveway and 7-year-old girl holding up her arm.
@dadatbat
Unaware, Weatherford had already started down the road, until his phone lit up with a FaceTime call.
"Initially, I thought something tragic happened," Weatherford told Newsweek. "A fall? Something with mom? She was holding the phone just under her chin, enough for me to see her tears coming down from her cheeks. My heart sank."
But the truth, while less dramatic, hit him even harder. In a soft, sad tone, Ella told her dad: "You left and didn't hug me."
The clip then cuts to Weatherford pulling back into the driveway and walking into the house.
He posted the footage on Instagram (@dadatbat) with the caption: "Don't ever miss a chance to love on your kiddos not just with words, but with actions."
For the dad of three, those words carry the weight of profound personal loss.
"We lost my oldest daughter, Olivia, September 12, 2023 to pediatric cancer after four and a half year battle," he told Newsweek. "I cherished moments with her and our family when we were together... [but] I look back on those moments and think, 'Where would I have shown love more?' If we say, 'I love you' I want them to know what love looks like, not just what it sounds like."
That mindset has shaped every interaction since. Hospital visits for Olivia were spent away from his two younger children and now, he's got a new perspective on parenting.
"Our perspective now has changed to focus more on intentionality and essentially addressing our internal need to 'make up' for lost time," Weatherford said. "If I can make a moment and heal tears, I do whatever I can to do it. My wife and I felt so helpless and useless at times during the cancer journey. If I can, I will."
Weatherford's reel has had an overwhelming response online. Since it was posted on March 20, the clip has been viewed almost 19 million times.
Thousands of comments poured in with admiration for his actions.
"So precious! She'll always remember you turning around for her!" one user wrote.
"I would rather be late and hug my kids one more time, every day of the week. No matter what the appointment or meeting. Nothing is more important than my family," another added.
Many others believe Ella saved her father from a fateful car accident by getting him to turn around.
Weatherford told Newsweek that the heartwarming moment between him and his daughter reinforced the idea of making every moment count.
Ella, who is the middle child, has the most memories of Olivia's journey, and her parents' trips to the hospital.
"I've always been worried that me leaving so often with Liv would impact her and Eli, so I've tried to be more intentional with treating their emotions and pivotal moments of impact carefully," Weatherford said.
"That's where this particular moment fell dead center in my heart. I didn't even consider the consequences of work when I answered that call. For her, for my family, they take priority."
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