‘Who are you running to first when you get to heaven?’ trend prompts discussion about Gen Z’s public way of grieving
Gen Z-ers are taking to TikTok to mourn the people they’ve lost with a new viral trend.
Set to M83’s “Wait,” “Who are you running to first when you get to heaven?” is a trend that involves posting a series of “happier” photos of yourself followed by clips of the person you’ve lost and are most wanting to see again.
On June 6, @sisteaspills, a TikTok account curated by sisters Angelikah and Natalya for their 10-year-old brother Troy, revealed that they’d “run” to their late mother.
With more than 1.4 million views and 257,500 likes in less than a week, @sisteaspills‘s video has clearly resonated with TikTok creators.
“you are truly so so so strong. wow. i am so sorry for your loss. may you and your family heal beautiful,” @p3traworld wrote.
“I love that this popped up on my FYP,” @sammiantha replied. “I worked with your mom and she talked about you guys all the time. She was so immensely proud of all 4 of you.”
Other users like Hannah Damron (@hannah_damron), Lucy Coates (@lucycaotess) and @emluvsjose are also honoring their loved ones with the trend.
“this trend hurts,” Damron captioned her video.
‘By refusing to buy into the narrative that grief should be hidden away, they are reclaiming their stories and finding strength in vulnerability.’
It isn’t new for Gen Z-ers to grieve publicly on TikTok. From openly sobbing about the demise of a relationship to crafting heartfelt montages of the individual their mourning, the younger generation appears to have no qualms with sharing their deepest, most vulnerable moments — even if it may, at times, be seen as controversial to do so.
“In the past, societal norms often dictated that grief should be a private, silent, and often isolating experience. This trend flips that narrative on its head,” Rebecca Feinglos, a certified grief specialist and the founder of Grieve Leave, an online grief support community, told In The Know by Yahoo via email. “We are creating spaces where grief can be acknowledged, understood, and validated — which is really what we need most when we’re grieving.”
This trend, Feinglos believes, gives young adults the opportunity to foster an online support system.
“When individuals openly share their experiences of loss, they invite others who may be going through similar hardships to come forward and join the conversation,” she continued. “TikTok, with its vast user base and creative tools, becomes a medium for finding solace, empathy, and community in the midst of grief.”
Added Feinglos, “It’s heartening to see how people are embracing this opportunity to be seen and heard, even in their darkest moments. By refusing to buy into the narrative that grief should be hidden away, they are reclaiming their stories and finding strength in vulnerability. We are acknowledging that grief is a natural part of the human experience, and it deserves to be acknowledged and supported.”
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