Over the past week, this video of a mom getting caught up
in the holiday spirit has been viewed more than 80
million times.
If you haven't seen this yet, you're welcome.
I was trying to burn some time at the Wawa
And I read a little article.
It was a Christmas article about how everybody's
so generous over the holidays and it
makes everything so magical.
So I'm in line at the Wawa.
And this lady behind me is buying her ginger ale.
And so I'm like, are you only buying ginger ale?
And she's like, yes, why?
I was like, I've got you.
I'm going to get your ginger ale.
It's like, happy holidays!
And we like-- it was a precious moment.
So I walk outside.
I'm still in this mindset that the holidays are so magical.
And I see this man.
He is-- I'm sorry.
I see this man.
He's cleaning my windshield.
And I'm convinced this is the Christmas magic.
And so I'm like, oh, gosh.
I just love this time of year, you know?
So I walk up to this man.
And I am like, this is my favorite part of humanity!
I love Christmas so much!
Thank you for doing this!
And I gave him a hug.
And it wasn't my car!
[LAUGHTER]
He was parked directly in front of me!
And he was cleaning his own windshield!
[LAUGHTER]
[APPLAUSE]
From Fort Myers, Florida, please welcome Mary Katherine
Backstrom.
Mary Katherine, you're marvelous.
Oh, OK.
Oh, my God.
This is so fantastic.
I mean, 80 million people have enjoyed that.
And even people seeing this, it's
contagious just to watch you laugh through that whole thing.
OK, so you're hugging a stranger.
Ellen.
I'm sorry.
Hold on.
OK, sorry.
I love you so much.
Thank you.
OK.
I just had to tell you.
Because I know you're going to probably ask me a question.
But I just have to tell you, I love you so much.
All right, I love you, too.
I love you, too.
Thank you.
All right.
I love you because-- you don't even know--
I mean, the fact that you were going
to hug a man because he was cleaning your windshield
was sweet.
Then you hugged a man who's cleaning his own windshield.
Which is sweet.
But you've done so many other things.
This is who Mary Katherine is.
She helped a waitress get her car fixed.
She paid the bills of her friends on social media.
You donated your kidney to your uncle
when he needed a transplant.
[APPLAUSE]
So even though you don't have a lot of money,
whenever you have any extra money,
you find a way to pay it forward.
That's amazing.
That's really--
Thank you.
And so you're laughing at yourself because you--
so that's why you decided to just film yourself?
OK, I was just really feeling the holiday spirit.
Yes.
I was filled with the spirit.
We saw that.
And I went to the gas station.
Because that seemed like a good place to go.
And I was filled with the spirit.
So I went and got my Coke.
And I bought that lady her--
You got a Coke?
[LAUGHTER]
With nugget ice.
Oh, good.
I was like, well, I'm going to tell the whole world
about this.
So I did.
Right, right, well, you didn't know the whole world
was going to enjoy it so much.
I don't know who you thought you were telling.
But it spread like crazy.
Honestly, just my mom and friends
I did not anticipate that.
Yeah, I love that, first of all, he
sees you hug him, get in your car,
and pull over two spaces to film yourself.
Anyway, now he knows the whole story.
All right, well, my friends add Honey Nut Cheerios always
say doing good makes the heart feel good.
And I agree so we want to give you $20,000.
[APPLAUSE]
What?
Thank you!
We'll be back!