Woman's Pregnancy Announcement Video Went Viral, Sparking Public Outrage About Her Mother's Reaction

Two years after a woman shared a pregnancy announcement video on TikTok, she opened up about the viral moment, public reaction, and why her mom reacted the way she did.

A woman named Olena Perez decided to share joyous news with her loved ones that she was pregnant. During a casual dinner at a sushi restaurant with her husband and their family, she opted to break the news and posted a video of the moment on TikTok. The footage has since gone viral, causing a firestorm among netizens who were disappointed by how Perez's mom reacted.

The TikTok clip, which was filmed in 2023, opens with Perez and her family gathered closely on the sushi restaurant's lush patio, preparing to pose for a group photo. The energy is light, even playful, as everyone shuffles into position, with Perez standing beside her mother.

A voice from behind the camera cheerfully calls out, "I'll be in the next one." Moments later, Perez approaches the camera to clarify something. "It's a video," she says with a grin, instructing the videographer to "just keep it going."

After her husband enters the frame to join the lineup, Perez returns to her place on the patio. She then casually says, "Hold on, I wanna fix my lipstick," as she rummages through her purse, only to dramatically pull out a pregnancy test.

She presents it directly to her mother, who reacts with calm indifference, barely acknowledging the revelation.

Instead of a gasp or hug, her mother offers a smile and lightly taps her daughter's arm, gesturing for her to put the test back so the family can resume taking their photo. Perez, surprised by the lack of response, attempts again to drive the message home. "What do you mean!? I'm telling you! I'm pregnant!" she exclaims.

Still, her mother remains fixed on capturing the perfect picture, only cracking a laugh once she realizes that they're not taking a photo at all, but filming a video.

Though Perez laughs along and ends the clip with a gracious "Thank you" to the camera person, viewers didn't see humor in the moment. Her caption, "Lmaoooooo my mom loves a good pic!!!" added a lighthearted spin, but the internet had a very different reaction.

Once the video gained traction online, it quickly stirred a mix of emotions from spectators, many of whom were visibly disturbed by the lack of reaction from Perez's family. "Is this even real? 🥺 everyone is so rude. congratulations ✨🎉 [sic]," remarked one person.

Referring to Perez's mother, another netizen bluntly stated, "she [sic] literally ruined your moment," while someone else expressed concern, "This is depressing. I hope you have some enthusiastic people in your life. Congratulations!"

Criticism was especially directed toward the family matriarch, with one viewer pointing out, "your [sic] mother was more concerned about showing the bag in the photo 🙁." Another noted, "mom [sic] acted like this is a weekly thing 😭," as someone else marveled at how a pregnancy announcement could be met with such apparent indifference.

One commenter even suggested the family lacked emotional closeness altogether, wondering aloud if they "all hate each other."

While a portion of netizens criticized Perez for making "the family photo shoot all about her & her special announcement," there were also a few who defended the family's behavior.

One person observed that the video didn't seem as harsh as it was being made out to be, suggesting the mother may have simply been confused at first. Another viewer took a more neutral stance, writing, "The video was hard to watch. Everyone was awkward. I don't think it had anything to do with the pregnancy."

Still, the overwhelming impression left on social media was one of disappointment. Many felt Perez's heartfelt reveal was met with an unexpectedly flat, even dismissive response by those closest to her.

In the wake of a whirlwind of online discourse and more than 30 million views on TikTok, Perez recently opened up to People magazine about the moment, offering context that many viewers hadn't considered.

She admitted that while she expected a bit more excitement from her mom during the announcement, the response wasn't entirely out of character.

After enduring constant questions about when she planned to start a family, Perez felt the timing was finally right to share her news. It had taken her a year to conceive, and with her parents returning from travel, the family dinner marked their first in-person reunion in quite some time.

Choosing the sushi restaurant at her mom's request made the reveal all the more necessary, especially since she couldn't partake in much of the menu. "I needed everyone to understand up front why I wasn't eating anything," she divulged. Still, Perez admits that what was meant to be a joyful surprise turned into a bewildering moment for her family.

With only her husband in the loop, the rest of the group, including her mom, stepdad, brother, aunt, and uncle, were genuinely caught off guard. Her mother, in fact, thought the pregnancy test was pulled out by accident.

Looking back, the 34-year-old sees the humor and irony in it all. "I was annoyed she ruined the cute content moment, that's for sure," she shared, adding that while her mother might come across as distant to others, she knows her well. "But I know my mom loves and cares about me and [sic] she is just the way she is."

Perez even joked that her mom's personality could be summed up astrologically — "an Aquarius Sun and Scorpio Moon/Rising."

There was also a bittersweet twist to the moment: The family never actually took the group photo her mom had rallied them for. "She will harass everyone to get a family photo, but that day, we have no memory other than this video," Perez noted.

Reflecting on how she might have done things differently, Perez told People she likely would have chosen a more private setting to break the news to her mom if she had the chance to do so.

Despite the muted response that sparked countless opinions online, Perez says her mom has since embraced her role as grandmother with open arms. In February 2024, Perez welcomed her son, and by all accounts, his grandmother has been nothing short of loving and devoted.

With her heart set on growing their family even more in the near future, Perez is ready to move forward, with laughter, lessons, and a video memory that the internet won't soon forget.