Sisters Start Each Day the Same Way After Carrying on Late Dad's Tradition

Family traditions are a wonderful thing that can unite us and bring back happy memories from days gone by, and one mom-of-four has learned that traditions can still live on even after tragedy strikes.

When Erin Bruce, 53, recalls the first morning of her honeymoon, she can vividly picture her late husband, Tim Bruce, standing on the bed and dancing hilariously. They were both so full of joy and love, and a new family tradition was born in that moment. From then on, Tim would dance for his family every morning for the next 30 years, always starting their days off in the best-possible way.

Bruce, from Dallas, Texas, told Newsweek: "He literally stood on the bed the first morning and put Barry Manilow on and started lipsyncing and dancing. He was such a comedian, and I really was his biggest fan.

"He would dance everywhere we went, no matter where we were or if it was appropriate or not. He would even do it in the middle of the night if he got up for a minute," Bruce added.

Sadly, on March 3, 2023, Tim passed away suddenly, leaving his wife and their four children mourning the loss of their kind, supportive, and exuberant father. They have each dealt with their grief in different ways, but one thing that has remained constant is this tradition, which his daughters have carried on in his memory.

Seeing her children continue this tradition has been a great source of happiness for Bruce, who can feel his personality and his presence shine through whenever she sees them dancing.

"It makes me so happy that they are emotionally able to feel and express this joy, and it's his personality coming through. After seeing him do it for 30 years, it feels as though his personality is still here and I can experience it," Bruce said.

"My kids do it naturally and I try to get my camera out before they're done. He created a constant stream of entertainment, and they are just like him."

The Social Media Reaction

Bruce has documented a lot of her journey through grief on social media (@erinbrucexo), not only to connect with others, but also to show people the reality of losing a loved one and becoming a widower at 53. On April 5, she shared a video of her daughters standing in her bedroom doorway and dancing for her, adding that she can "see him in their faces and moves."

Layered over the wonderful clip, the caption reads: "When your husband is gone to heaven and your daughters start the morning the way they saw him do their whole lives." The video delighted many, and it has already been viewed more than 18.4 million times and gained over 2.8 million likes on TikTok.

Speaking about the online reaction, Bruce told Newsweek that it's been "absolutely mindblowing" to see her video touch so many hearts. She only wishes that her late husband had been able to see how much his 30-year tradition meant to everyone around him.

Bruce said: "It has brought such comfort to me to see his memory and legacy being witnessed by so many. The warmth I've received from the comments and messages has been so comforting to our entire family.

"He is the one who would be the most fascinated and entertained by how many people have witnessed it. He should've been in showbusiness, but he sure was our own personal celebrity, and I'm so happy that the world is seeing him, even though he's watching from heaven."

With more than 11,400 comments on the viral video, TikTok users were full of praise for Bruce's daughters who have ensured their late dad's spirit lives on. One comment reads: "The most beautiful thing I've seen on TikTok. Ever."

Another person responded: "I bet he's dancing with them, every time."

A third TikTok user wrote: "a glimpse of him through her every morning."

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