Thirty-two-year-old André Williams of Houston, Texas, gave his mother the surprise of her life.
Unbeknownst to his family, the young man had been saving up to pay off his mother’s mortgage since August of 2023.
On Sept. 26 this year, after achieving his goal and getting together enough money to clear 10 years of his mom’s mortgage, André was planning to visit his parents’ home in Mount Vernon, New York. He was eagerly anticipating the moment he could place the check in his mother’s hands.
The Surprise
Unable to see his parents in person, André created a video and sent it to his sister, asking her to play it for their mother on Sept. 27.He launched into the heartwarming message by thanking his mother for 32 years of “unconditional love” and unwavering support. “Nothing you’ve done is in vain,” he said in the video.
Then, right before her eyes, he revealed the check that would pay off her remaining mortgage.
The home that André grew up in, the home that his mother had been paying off for 20 years, would now be hers and hers alone. Just like that, the burden was lifted; the remaining 10 years of suddenly felt lighter.
His mother, who had not been expecting any of this at all, put her head down and wept.
Watch the video:
Giving Back to His Parents
André is very thankful for the sacrifices his parents made to raise him and his siblings. His mother works in healthcare, and his father is an electrician; both worked hard to provide a stable and loving foundation for André and his two siblings.In his youth, André enjoyed sports, art, and playing music at church, with his supportive parents encouraging him to follow his interests. Ambitious and hardworking, he quickly excelled in his career, working his way up the career ladder. He’s now been a program manager at Microsoft for three years.
“I’ve been successful in my life, through multiple things: through my career, through other adventures of my things that I’ve invested in, and things like that,” André said.
He explained that he'd always been grateful for his mother’s love, and when she was diagnosed with progressive heart failure two years ago, he wanted to help alleviate her stress.
What gift could be better than paying off her mortgage? “It has always been a dream of mine to pay it off,” André said.
Around six months after his mother was diagnosed, André told her that his own mortgage statement was off and that he needed hers for reference. Though it took a few months for her to send it, he eventually got it in his hands.
He analyzed the statement to see how much he would need to save to pay it off. That began a journey of secret-saving, hoping, and loving—a journey that culminated on that joyful day of September.
When asked how much money he had paid, André said it was too personal to share. He said there were a “million other things” he could have done with that money, but nothing’s more important than making sure his parents are able to enjoy their life to the fullest.
“I think giving back to your parents is one of the greatest gifts you can give,” he said.
