Boy Wears Same Sweater as Dad, Grandfather for School Picture
When first-grader Brady Gose showed up for school picture day, he brought a bit of family history with him — a 61-year-old sweater worn by four family members before him.
Seven-year-old Brady brought the gray graphic sweater to his Brownsburg, Ind., school last week for his class photo, becoming the fifth male in his family — and the third generation — to sport the family uniform. His father, his grandfather, and two of his great-uncles also wore it, as far back as 1954. “Back in 1982, I learned that both my father and his two brothers all wore the same sweater for their first-grade picture,” Chuck Gose, Brady’s dad, who wore the sweater 33 years ago, told WRTV. “It’s just known as ‘the sweater,’ and when I went into first grade, that’s the first time I learned about it.”
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Yahoo Parenting could not immediately reach Chuck Gose for comment.
When Chuck wore the sweater in 1982, his local Ohio newspaper covered the story, wondering if Chuck’s son would one day do the same. “When you are in first grade, that seems like a lifetime away, but then all of a sudden here we are,” Chuck said.
Brady, right, his father, center, and his grandfather all wore this gray sweater for their first-grade school picture. (Photo: WRTV)
Brady, who told Inside Edition that he thought the family sweater was “cool,” brought his teacher a note with the sweater, which asked that she make sure he take it off after the photo was taken, to preserve its good condition. After all, Brady is already planning for his son to wear it one day. “I’m going to tell them they shouldn’t get it dirty,” Brady told Inside Edition about his plans for the next generation.
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“It’s been 33 years since I wore the sweater, and it’s been 57 years since my dad wore the sweater last, so with my son, we don’t know when that next time will be, but hopefully it does happen,” Chuck told WRTV.
The sweater even became a teaching tool at Brady’s school, as his teacher told Inside Edition that the class is currently learning about traditions. “[This sweater] shows that traditions can be simple,” Chuck explained.
Amy Morin, psychotherapist and author of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do, agrees that is the true lesson of the sweater. “Family traditions don’t have to be complex. In fact, simple traditions that are easy to remember — and easy to explain to others — can be effective ways for everyone to take part,” she tells Yahoo Parenting. “In a world where everything is constantly changing, keeping a tradition the same can help everyone stay connected to one another. Family traditions can help kids feel safe and secure and help them feel a sense of belonging in the family.”
Creating traditions like these is any easy way for families to come together, Morin says. “Traditions can stir up positive feelings for everyone. Families can recall old memories while simultaneously creating new ones,” she says.
Chuck says his father would certainly be proud to see that his sweater is still being worn today. “He passed away in 1999 before I got married and before I had children,” Chuck told WRTV. “So to see that legacy continue, to see that story continue to be told, it would just make him so, so proud.”
(Top photo: Chuck Gose/Indianapolis Star)
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