'Grateful’ Mom Defends Herself After Video Of Her Hugging Her Son Amassed Mixed Reactions

Sep 19, 2023

Mothers are extraordinary. They supply what you need for daily life and are often your greatest supporters, cheering you on in every field — be it sports, creativity, music, and more.

It’s only normal for mothers to express their happiness whenever their children celebrate a momentous occasion or victory, so most of the time, they would give their kids a big hug.

Unfortunately, a mom named Amber Wright amassed a lot of negative comments from social media users when she shared a heartwarming encounter between her and her 16-year-old son Brixton Wright when his football team won a match.

Amber posted a video in August 2023, which was taken by one of her best friends. The mom and son could be seen overjoyed by the victory to the point that he carried her when she gave him a massive hug.

“This boy will forever and always have my entire heart. Gina captured the end of this moment, and I’m SO grateful. When I walked up to hug my baby boy after his game, he immediately picked me up and just held me,” the mom wrote. 

In a shocking turn of events, the once wholesome moment between the mom and her son turned into a heated debate by online users as some of them deemed the encounter inappropriate. 

Amber spoke with Today and shared her true feelings as she said, “I never expected it to turn into something where people are like, ‘You’re sexually abusing him! You're grooming him! I’m calling child protective services.”

The mom defended her actions as she explained that she came from a very affectionate family and that she would hug her dad whenever she saw him.

She added that the video that went viral was just a usual moment for her and her son. Furthermore, Amber pointed out that Brixton clung to her longer than usual that day. His jersey number 44 held emotional significance, signifying the date of his late father’s death (April 4).

“He was feeling emotional, and I think as his mom, I’m his safe space,” she explained.

Amber later shared screenshots of Brixton’s conversation with a friend, and in the message, he defended his mother as he mentioned that she is his “hero.”

He later explained that he grew up with “an alcoholic dad” who would only attend games when he was sober, but Amber never missed a game and was always there for him.

“She was very emotional and so was I. All it was was a big hug from me to her,” Brixton wrote in the conversation.

Amber told Today, “I was so proud. I was a proud mom hugging her kid."

Unfortunately, there were still negative comments in the video Amber posted, as many people didn’t think what she did was appropriate.

“Nothing wrong with the hug but the feet should’ve never left the ground Mama 😬,” one wrote.

However, despite the hate, there were also other moms who defended her actions, as they mentioned that they also hugged their sons in the same manner.

“We single mamas and our sons have a bond others can’t understand,” one wrote.

“I’m a single mother and my son played football for 7 years and we hugged like this as well! There’s NOTHING wrong with it!” another one wrote. 

What do you think of the way Amber embraced her son after a football game? Do you think what she did was appropriate or not? Let us know your thoughts, and make sure to pass this on to your friends and family.