"Ma, Wake Up and See Your Child": Matriculant Cries Out to Late Mom After Passing With Distinctions

• A young matriculant’s emotional reaction to her results touched many after she celebrated her success while calling out to her late mother
• The video captured the powerful mix of pride, loss and resilience that many learners carry with them during exam season
• South Africans connected with the raw emotion in the clip, seeing reflections of their own journeys, sacrifices and family memories

A quiet celebration turned into a moment that reminded many why matric results mean so much more than marks.

A video shared by @mponengmrjmofokeng on 14 January 2026 has touched hearts after showing a young matriculant reacting to her final exam results. In the clip, the learner quietly reads her marks before realising she passed with admission to a bachelor’s degree. Overcome with emotion, she begins celebrating while calling out to her late mother, asking her to come and see her achievement. She obtained distinctions in Life Orientation, Mathematics and Tourism.

Read also

"This is so healthy": Married couple hilariously roasts their old matric results, SA entertained

The moment highlights how matric results often carry deep emotional weight, especially for learners who have navigated loss and hardship. For many South African pupils, education is closely tied to family sacrifice and personal resilience. Achieving strong results can represent more than academic success, symbolising the fulfilment of dreams shared with loved ones who are no longer present.

Grief, pride and triumph collide

The video posted by user @mponengmrjmofokeng spread quickly because it captured raw emotion without any performance. Viewers connected with the honesty of the moment and the way joy and grief existed side by side. Many saw their own experiences reflected in the learner’s reaction, making the clip deeply relatable.

Public response leaned strongly towards empathy and admiration. Many felt inspired by her strength and determination, while others were reminded of the silent struggles learners carry into exam season. The clip became a reminder that behind every matric result is a personal story.

Here’s what Mzansi said

Mmakgotso said:

“That girl said mom wake up. 😭😭 Lord, can you please allocate her so we can congratulate her as mothers so she knows she is not alone, I pray she further her studies and get a bursary, iyooo God have mercy. 🙏♥️”

Shusha said:

“I've never cried like that after a boy asked my phone for data to view, after seeing himself passing with 5 distinctions and celebrating upon seeing a speeding car, now he is gone, R.I.P young man. 😭😭😭😭😭😭”

Read also

"He will grow with it": Grade R learner’s oversized uniform has Mzansi talking

Martha Mekene said:

“I just remembered mine who passed away last year, class of 2024. She was approved at the University of KZN while she was in the mortuary. I was bathing her on Thursday when I got a call that she had been taken. 😭😭 Yooh! 😭😭”

Eddie Junior said:

“When she said Ma vuka uzobona ingane yakho eish, that one really broke my heart 💔😭 I’m crying now, same as my story after I left home to go collect my results, when I came back home, mom was no more 😭😭😭”

Njabuliso Nsibande N said:

“First video, how I wish I could hug her… second video, that’s my baby sis. 😭🥰 What a painful but proud moment.”

Mr3jobs said:

“Why am I crying, tears just rolling out of my eyes? I wish I had enough money to sponsor them. God bless these girls; this really touched my heart. 😭😭”

Jenny Taumpe said:

Read also

"Your time to shine": Top special educational needs achiever speaks of her challenges, SA impressed

“I’m crying, I lost my mom a week before matric exams, I wrote my first paper on Monday, while she was buried Sunday before Monday. 😭😭😭”

Check out the TikTok video below:

3 Other Briefly News stories related to matric results

• A young Nongoma learner completed matric after spending much of the year battling illness and missing school.
• On Tuesday, 13 January 2026, Zodwa Wabantu could barely contain her excitement and pride as she celebrated her son's matric pass.
• Two Congolese matriculants marked a major academic milestone with an emotional family celebration in South Africa.

Source: Briefly News