Gloria McIntosh, a mom of six in Ohio, always tells her kids that the true test of character is what a person does when no one is watching.
That’s why McIntosh was so moved when her 10-year-old son, Mason, woke up in the middle of the night to comfort his 18-month-old brother, Greyson.
Though Mason believed his parents were sleeping, they were actually watching the sweet scene unfold on a baby monitor in their bedroom.
“I was smiling the whole time,” McIntosh, 36, told TODAY Parents. “He has a love for Greyson that is unspeakable. I can’t even really explain it.”
In the footage that has gone viral on TikTok, the fourth grader is shown hugging Greyson before gently lifting him out of his crib. After entertaining Greyson with toys, wiping his nose and reading him a story, Mason places the toddler back in his crib. Moments later, Mason climbs in there with him.
“He is going to be a loving father,” one person wrote in the comments.
Added another, “I cried too much watching this omg.”
When it became clear that Greyson wasn’t going to fall asleep, McIntosh said she came to relieve Mason.
“I asked him, ‘Why didn't you just come and get me in the first place?’" McIntosh, a writer, recalled. “He was just like, ‘You had a big day and I just wanted you to get some rest.'"
Mason lovingly attended to a fussy Greyson for more than 30 minutes. According to McIntosh, he's a natural caregiver.
“I’m sure Mason was tired and cranky. He was woken up at 3 a.m.,” McIntosh explained. “But how you saw him treat his brother is how he is. He steps up."
This story was originally published in 2020.