Woman's Reason to Take Live Photos Breaks Hearts: 'Crying'

A TikToker has gone viral for a heartfelt moment between her father and dog that she captured accidentally.

The video, posted by Makenzie Cann (@makenziecann) on February 18 has received over 120,000 likes on TikTok, with viewers in the comments sharing their own treasured family memories.

"I told my dad and my senior dog to smile for a photo. Here is why you keep your Live Photos on," Cann wrote over the video.

The video cuts to the picture taken with an iPhone feature called Live Photo which records the 1.5 seconds before and after the photo is snapped. In the three seconds of Cann's Live Photo, she captures her dad talking to the dog saying, "Sunset of our life, buddy?"

Viewers of the video were touched by Cann's reflection to intentionally preserve family memories and her method of taking short videos or photos was praised by those who have had similar experiences.

"This reminds me of when I took a photo on FaceTime with my husband's grandfather while he was in the hospital before he passed and he says 'Take care of my son, okay,'" user @jmv1619 wrote.

"I watch and rewatch the live photos of my soul dog constantly. This February is three years of him being gone," @kristimae73 said.

Commenters wrote that Cann's video made them cry, both because of her sweet captured moment or because they know that she will appreciate having it when her dad and dog eventually pass away.

Many spoke from experience.

"I've lost both my dad and my dog, please give them both a big hug and tell them I love them," @miss_bnr said.

"Ugh my heart ... my dad passed in October and my soul dog joined him a couple weeks later. They were best friends," @alexandriaanne836 said.

"As someone who lost their Dad and dog of 14 years within one year of each other you'll cherish this forever. So glad you have this," TikToker @heath_feather wrote.

Studies conducted on digital memories have pointed to some pitfalls when compared to physical memorabilia. For one, digital memories pose access issues compared to memories physically present in the home like photo frames or objects.

"Digital mementos are stored in the computer, out of sight and out of mind. This prevents easy contact between the owner and the object, contact that may be essential in some cases, for the building of meaning, to turn the object into a valuable memento," a study by Daniela Petrelli and Steve Whittaker at Sheffield Hallam University said.

"Digital mementos in the home do not have the same property of being integrated in everyday life or being encountered by accident," the authors wrote. "They require an explicit act and a lengthy process to be accessed."

Some TikTokers addressed these pitfalls in comments to Cann.

"You HAVE to put this in one of those little digital frames," @jennuh_mahree wrote.

Even more inventively: "Annnnnd now you know what tattoo to get," @aubslcarter said.