‘A legend.’ 85-year-old games with granddaughter’s wife. See the tradition on TikTok
A woman in New Mexico has a tradition with her wife’s 85-year-old grandpa that’s been going strong for four years.
And it’s making TikTok users “emotional.”
Jadyn Harbin, known as @Jharbs_ on TikTok, makes the weekly two-hour drive with her wife, Kaydyn Harbin, from Albuquerque to the East Mountain region home of her grandpa, Didier Figueroa, Jadyn told McClatchy News in a phone interview.
“We always head over weekly, but lately we’ve been bringing Kaydyn’s (PlayStation 4) so they can game together,” she said.
The video shows Figueroa sitting in a recliner as Kaydyn is set up in a different room, playing on a monitor, so the two can chat through their headsets, according to the TikTok that’s garnered over 599,000 views as of March 5.
Kaydyn didn’t introduce Figueroa to the world of “Grand Theft Auto,” she told McClatchy News in a phone interview. But she did use it as a way to connect with him.
“My grandpa’s been gaming for quite some time. He’s definitely a tough exterior type guy, so when it comes to partners and introducing people to the family, it definitely takes him a long time to warm up,” Jadyn said.
Figueroa suggested Kaydyn “add his gamer tag,” and she was left in disbelief after seeing his skills online.
“She was like, ‘babe, your grandpa is really good,’” Jadyn said.
Figueroa, who Kaydyn said is “ranked” in the game and “plays games you have to be invited to,” is a U.S. Air Force veteran and a retired “legend” of a ski patroller who wakeboards, skis and snowboards with an oxygen tank on his back.
“He had a very intense job in the Air Force,” Jadyn said. “He’s always been in survival mode and I think the gaming, I think it reminds him of the military. He talks completely in military lingo when he’s gaming.”
Figueroa, who beat cancer five months ago, is a “natural survivor,” Jadyn said.
“We always joke and say ‘we’re not saying grandpa is Superman, but we’ve never seen him and Superman in the same room,’” Jadyn said.
When Kaydyn is playing video games with Figueroa, Jadyn watches soap operas with her grandma, she said.
“My grandma is an earth angel,” Jadyn said. “We’ll sit down and hang out while she catches me up on the latest Spanish soap opera drama.”
Users on TikTok jumped to the comments to share that the “wholesome” video left them “crying.”
“The only time a long drive and the money would be worth it. It shows how much she loves you and your family. That physical effort is everything,” one user said.
“This is so sweet,” one person wrote.
“I’m so glad she’s making good memories with him,” another said.
This story was originally published March 5, 2024 at 2:49 PM with the headline "‘A legend.’ 85-year-old games with granddaughter’s wife. See the tradition on TikTok."