"As soon as I got the first response, my initial reaction was, 'Oh no, did I text someone’s partner on accident?'" Shantasia Stanley tells PEOPLE
Credit: Shantasia Stanley
NEED TO KNOW
- Shantasia Stanley texted her late grandmother’s phone while grieving and was shocked to receive a response
- The number was reassigned to a young girl who sent messages and a song that deeply resonated with Stanley
- Stanley shared the emotional interaction on TikTok, where it went viral with over 2.7 million views
Grief ebbs and flows, sometimes feeling all-consuming while other times it sits quietly in the background.
So, when Shantasia Stanley texted her late grandmother during a particularly difficult day, she never expected a response; however, she was shocked by what appeared on her screen just minutes later.
The 27-year-old tells PEOPLE that she and her grandmother, Lucille, whom she lovingly called her "twin," were "very close my whole life, even down to her last moments on earth."
"Lucille was a very, very caring person. She was one of my biggest supporters throughout life," she says.
When her grandmother's health started to decline, the Georgia native spent as much time as she could with her in the hospital. However, on May 18, 2024, when Stanley left the hospital briefly to attend her uncle's funeral, Lucille died.
Credit: Shantasia Stanley
"I immediately went right to the hospital where she was, which was in another city, and when I was an exit away, I got the call," she shares.
Stanley had to miss her grandmother's funeral while taking care of another sick family member, which made her "grief journey harder."
Finally, in January 2026, she received a copy of her grandmother's obituary from a family member, and "hung it up on the refrigerator to assist with the acceptance of her passing."
After walking by the pamphlet every day for several months, Stanley, still consumed by grief, decided to text her late grandmother's phone number.
"I texted my grandmother on Thursday, April 2, 2026, 'Miss You 😢', because I just really missed her and needed a way to grieve," she shares.
While she was not expecting a response, she was "deeply" surprised by the message she received the next day.
"I had almost forgotten that I had sent the message," Stanley says. "My heart stopped seeing a text from 'Grandma!!👯' pop up after nearly two years of her passing."
The person on the other end initially responded with anger, asking who she was.
"My heart began racing. As soon as I got the first response, my initial reaction was, 'Oh no, did I text someone's partner on accident?'" she says. "I immediately became remorseful and somewhat regretted even texting."
She replied "immediately," explaining that the number had belonged to her late grandmother, and assured them that she wouldn't text again.
Credit: Shantasia Stanley
However, the recipient quickly changed their tune, sending Stanley their condolences, followed by several graphic photos expressing sympathy. It was then that Stanley realized the sender was a young girl.
"At first, I was crying from a painful perspective because I was saddened to know her phone number had already been reassigned. It shattered me," Stanley shares. "But once I explained why I was texting, the little girl immediately sprang into empathy mode and sent me the type of messages — gifs to be exact — that my grandmother used to send to me before her passing."
Stanley says she "didn't realize" she was texting a minor until the number started sending anime pictures, which had little details that reminded her of Lucille.
"It immediately made me cry inconsolably because she instantly showed me compassion in the best way she knew how, and she didn't even realize the impact she would have on me," Stanley says.
Before Stanley could respond, the young girl sent a video of herself singing "Girl in Green" by Maddox Batson to try to cheer her up.
@talkswtasia I wasnt expecting to be boohoo crying today but.. here we are 😭 #griefjourney
♬ Sad – HYQU
While the song choice seemed random, to Stanley, it felt like a sign.
"My grandmother wore a green dress that she loved so much, it's on her obituary, which has been hanging on my refrigerator since I received it," she shares. "It also has pink flowers in the background, the same as the first anime picture the minor sent me."
Stanley shares that she and her grandmother "always bonded over music," and one of their last moments together was spent listening to gospel music.
"I truly think she prompted that girl to send me that song, because she knew I would understand the hidden meaning behind it," she shares. "Reading the lyrics to 'Girl in Green' quite literally gives me chills."
While "the song she was singing immediately brought me joy," Stanley notes that she ended the conversation directly after that.
Credit: Shantasia Stanley
"My final message to her was, 'That was very thoughtful of you, thank you! But i am an adult so i cant text you further than now. Tell your parents what happened, and tell them they are raising a caring person and they should be proud! Have a great day!' "
Stanley, a mother herself, emphasizes "that boundaries must be placed in situations like this."
Regardless, the interaction left a lasting impression on her, and she shared it on TikTok. The video, in which she censored the young girl for privacy reasons, went viral, amassing over 2.7 million views.
"The responses have been overwhelmingly beautiful and loving to read and witness. It feels almost as if my grandmother sent me love through all of these random people," she says.
In a way, Stanley believes Lucille "sent all these people on the internet to show me that her love and support is still here, even beyond the grave."
She also wants her story to be a reminder "that when someone reaches out randomly, try being kind before responding with anger or annoyance to a strange number."
"Deceased loved ones' numbers get reassigned all the time, and you never know what someone is going through," she tells PEOPLE. "My story is proof that humanity and compassion still exist in this world."
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