What began as a simple participation in the popular “Robert B. Weide” trend soon turned into an emotional moment when a TikTok post by user Amira Azhana Hassan unexpectedly drew an outpouring of empathy, with many netizens flooding in to call her as “ibu”, “mak”, or “mom.”
The TikTok was intended as a personal keepsake, but viewers responded with overwhelming compassion.
Amira, 35, and her husband Yusyairi Yunus, 37, married in 2012 when she was 22 and he was 24. In her post, Amira followed the trend’s format: a “before” picture of them as newlyweds, then the “Directed by Robert B. Weide” slide, before revealing a poignant final slide describing the couple’s 13-year struggle to conceive. She shared that they had endured three miscarriages, before her diagnosis of uterine cancer.
Amira shared to Wah Piang that she was diagnosed with stage 1 uterine cancer in July 2024 and subsequently underwent a hysterectomy on 14 August 2025, a procedure that ultimately ended any remaining possibility of carrying a child.
Netizens’ reaction: “We’ll be your children”
Many commenters embraced Amira with motherly nicknames, telling her she deserved love, comfort, and the experience of being confided in like a mother.
A few netizens chimed in stating that they grew up without a mother, or came from broken families, inciting the feeling of a full circle moment between those who yearned to feel a mother’s love and one who did not get the opportunity to be a mother.
Several netizens shared that they grew up without a mother or came from broken families, creating a powerful full-circle moment — where those who longed for a mother’s love found comfort in someone who haven’t the opportunity to become a mother herself.
The response moved Amira deeply.
Speaking to Wah Piang, Amira said:
“To be honest, I am very touched by the positive comments from netizens who call me ammi. I can’t express how grateful I am for the blessing Allah has given me to experience what it feels like to have a child confide in a mother. It’s not age that matters, but their empathy that makes me feel very moved and appreciated.”
She added that the video was never intended to gain such widespread attention:
“That post was only meant to be a memory for the future, and I didn’t expect it to go this viral. For my husband and me, we surrender and accept whatever Allah has destined. For now, I am focusing on staying healthy and free from this cancer.”
From trend to collective compassion
The viral moment underscores the unexpected ways TikTok trends can serve as emotional outlets. While the ‘Robert B. Weide’ trend typically ends on a humorous note, Amira’s version struck a deeply different tone — a mix of vulnerability, loss, and resilience.
Thousands of Malaysians resonated with her story, turning the comment section into a space of solidarity for couples facing infertility, child loss, and health struggles. Many expressed admiration for the strength she and her husband demonstrated over more than a decade of trying to conceive.
Amira says her focus now is on healing and staying cancer-free, while cherishing the kindness shown by strangers online.
What began as a simple trend evolved into a powerful reminder of empathy — and how digital communities can become unexpected sources of comfort for those navigating life’s hardest chapters.
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