How One Message Turned His Life Upside Down: The Story of the World's Youngest Grandpa

We could all live a perfectly normal life at one point, having a good education, healthy hobbies, good friends, a loving relationship, and a bright dream. However, life does not stay smooth all the time, and sometimes all it could take is one message to turn our lives upside down.  

This is what happened to the fate of Tommy Connolly, who was living a seemingly perfect life until it changed like a snap in just a day. Let us get on the ride and unfold the journey of how one message turned his life upside down, making him the youngest grandfather the world has ever seen.

The Typical Life Of A Student

Tommy is a 23-year-old student from the University of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia. He was living the typical life every uni-going student has. He does good in school, is part of a social group of friends, and excels as an athlete in track and field. He had the greatest potential, and his coaches were just training him to compete internationally. 

Tommy has a part-time job to save cash. He would also go on hikes and mountain climbing during his free time. Maintaining all these areas of his life meaningfully, Tommy had no complaints and worries. He was actually doing more than most people his age.

The Dreams Of A Young Adult

Tommy spent much time training for his university's track and field team. He has been in regional competitions, and he knew his coaches were seasoning him to go international. Aside from thriving in the sport, he also dreams of starting his own business. 

He was hustling in a part-time job to earn money to finally start his own business, pursuing his dreams of purchasing a house and vehicle and maintaining a comfortable life. People around him knew he would make it far, but they did not know what was coming that would derail his aspirations.

Maximizing His Business Brain

In relation to his aspirations of starting a business, he pursued a major in business and economics. He intended to combine his knowledge of the business world and his experiences in sports to create his own company.

As such, although he was earning from his part-time job, he did not spend all the money that he made. Aside from maintaining control and discipline, he was well-skilled in entrepreneurial concepts. Tommy was very focused on the game, putting his keen eyes on the prize. Indeed, such a brilliant brain would be heavily needed in the next chapters of his life.

The Apple Of His Eye

Just before we thought Tommy was living an ideal life for someone his age, it keeps getting better! He found a wonderful and loving support system in the arms of his girlfriend, Olivia Tauro. She has been by his side every step of the way and encouraged him to pursue all his dreams. 

And even when unforeseen circumstances came crumbling in Tommy's life, Olivia was there to help. People around them had a lot to say, but they proved them all wrong by standing firm in the relationship even when things were scattered in all the difficult places.

The One Message That Changed Everything

On one random day, Tommy received a notification from Facebook. It turned out his long-lost cousin named Kiarna decided to reach out! They lost contact a decade ago when their family moved places. Kiarna was now 16 years old. Although the two of them had not spoken for a long time, Tommy recalled how close they were, sharing an incredibly great bond. 

So when they reconnected on social media again, Tommy was excited to have heard from his favorite cousin. As their conversation furthered, he figured out something was wrong with Kiarna, and it had something to do with their long-overdue reunion.

Kiarna's Side Of The Story

Tommy was very eager to catch up with Kiarna, yet he already sensed something wrong. It turned out that Kiarna hasn't had the best life in the past few years, and she has become a homeless teenager. She was broke and barely surviving with one bag of clothes. 

Kiarna was not in contact with her family anymore. She has been involved in illegal substances, tried stealing, and spent more time on the streets. Her boyfriend, who was her only source of support, was caught in jail. Now she's all alone and nearly helpless.

Tommy Knew What He Was Going To Do

Tommy was dumbfounded to learn about Kiarna's situation. He found it devastating to think that his favorite cousin went through all that, and he was not of any help in the past years. So, before she could even ask, he went to pick her up. 

He treated her to lunch, and after hearing more of her story, he became more determined to help and let Kiarna live with him. He felt compelled to extend a helping hand even though many circumstances might follow. For Tommy, she is a family, and no teen should be left on the streets alone.

The Bittersweet Reunion

Kiarna lived with Tommy, and she began to share more of what had happened in her life. She has always expressed her gratitude to him because she admitted she needed help. Tommy also learned that she spent many years in and out of foster care until she ended up on the streets. 

She was homeless and had more bonding time with the police officers than her parents. After thorough consideration and thinking, Tommy made a huge decision to become his cousin's legal guardian. He was willing to do this to help her get back to school and slowly get her life together again.

The Start Of Many Life-Changing Situations

Tommy continued attending school, practicing sports, hustling in a part-time job, and maintaining a healthy relationship with his girlfriend. Only that, now he had to step up his hard work because he made the promise to take care of his favorite cousin.  

So, he did the best that he could. He started processing the papers to become Kiarna's permanent guardian officially. He let her stay in his house and provided their food and clothing. Even if that meant using more of his savings, he did not mind as he was determined to improve her life.

Kiarna Had More To Reveal

Tommy had a clear picture of his plans even after fostering his cousin. However, things would become more complicated as Kiarna had one more thing to admit. Although she did not lie about anything, she was scared to tell a crucial detail of her life. 

When she finally had the courage, she informed Tommy that she was 23 weeks pregnant! The father was her boyfriend, who was caught in jail, and since then, she was left alone to deal with the pregnancy. Tommy was shocked, yet he did not change his mind about helping her.

The Start Of Immediate Responsibilities

Tommy was still very much committed to helping his cousin. He encouraged her to keep the baby alive and safe. However, there was a major problem. Kiarna told Tommy that the local child safety services staff had been following her and wanted to take her firstborn into foster care as soon as she gave birth.

Tommy knew they could do something about it, but only if he would officially become Kiarna's legal guardian. They could stop the local child services from taking the baby if that happened, but he also knew it wouldn't be easy.

Conquering The Major Roadblock

Even though he knew it would be challenging, Tommy immediately went to the authorities and filed his documents to become Kiarna's foster parent. However, things got worse when the local child services disqualified his request because he did not meet the requirements to become her foster father. 

They both knew the baby would be taken to foster care as soon as it was born because Kiarna had no legal adult family. She expressed her sadness because she wanted to be a part of her child's life. This put Tommy under pressure, and he assessed options to process the legalization.

Stepping Up His Game

Tommy had to exert more effort now as he was running after time to become Kiarna's legal guardian before she could give birth. He was running from office to office, passing requirements, negotiating with officers here and there, and thinking of other ways to get things done quicker. 

He did all these while attending school, filling in responsibilities as an athlete, maintaining his relationships, and working in his part-time job. He also started shopping for the child's clothing and furnishings and accompanying Kiarna to the doctor. It was challenging, yet Tommy never lost a bit of hope.

Running The Extra Mile

After going through local offices and receiving legal advice so his foster parent application would be approved, Tommy had to make a major move. He used his life savings to buy a bigger home for them. He spent the next few months attending legal meetings, moving into their new place, and purchasing new home materials. 

He even opened a bank account for Kiarna and shouldered her medical appointments. On the side, he also helped her read and write so she could pass her driving test. He was indeed going above and beyond to help his cousin with everything she needed.

Running Extra On The Other, Running Short On The Other

Tommy was fully aware of his decisions and the responsibility he took in and would still be facing. While he was running the extra mile to equip his cousin with everything she needed, his personal life was changing too. 

He stopped training for track and field competitions, and people showed mixed reactions when they learned what he had been doing recently. However, Tommy does not seem to be bothered about it. For him, he was not thinking of school or work; all he had in mind was that Kiarna needed him.

Receiving Comments From People Around

Tommy might not be bothered about the situation he was in, but his family, friends, coaches, and teammates were. They thought he was doing too much to help his cousin. He could just have given her financial support and let her be under the custody of a charitable organization. 

People thought he was wasting the opportunity to grow more in his education, sport, and career by taking care of Kiarna too much. However, Tommy remained firm in his decision and blurted out that helping a family member should always be a standard value.

Too Young To Be A Foster Parent

After many tries and sacrifices, Tommy's request to be Kiarna's legal guardian was finally approved. They were beaming with joy and hardly ever believed it. The future of Kiarna and her child was now secured because they could grow in each other's arms under the custody of Tommy. 

Just as Kiarna's life took a turn, Tommy did too. His athletics career was paused; he received judgments from people and had to bear being a young foster parent. Though, he stood firmly in his belief to help and knew he was doing the right thing.

The Most Awaited Birth

Two months after he officially became Kiarna's legal guardian, their most anticipated day finally happened. She gave birth to a healthy baby boy whom they named Kaydan. Tommy was present every step of the process, and he even stood outside the birthing room while working on a school assignment. 

His role didn't end there as he filmed the birth and was the one assigned to cut the umbilical cord, a role usually fulfilled by the biological father. He admitted it was fulfilling to play a special part, yet he was also preoccupied with his school presentation the next day.

Taking On The Breadwinner Role

On that day, Tommy essentially became Kiarna's surrogate father and Kayden's legal grandfather. If we consider the bloodline, he was Kayden's second-degree uncle. The titles might be mixed-up and complicated, but Tommy took care of the baby as if he was his own. 

Tommy was once living the ideal life other 23-year-olds could have, but now he has to work three days a week while completing his degree. His social life was not that active anymore too. He fixed his mind on providing a good life for Kiarna and Kayden. Indeed, he went from not seeing his cousin in a decade to becoming an uncle, father, and grandfather.

Seeing The Bigger Picture

Many of Tommy's family members, friends, and colleagues frowned upon his situation. He lost some friends, and many withdrew their support for him. They treated him like a lost cause that was once full of potential.

Still, even the sourest comment did not make Tommy change his mind. When Kayden was born, he saw the bigger picture of why he was doing it all. Tommy grew up never meeting his father, and he didn't want Kayden to experience the same. He wanted to give him the paternal figure that he himself never had.

Not Your Typical Mixed Family Set-Up

While all of these are taking place, Tommy's girlfriend, Olivia, is behind his back, supporting him. Despite the negative opinions of people around them, their relationship stood firm.


Olivia developed even more admiration and respect for her boyfriend because of all he had done to help. In fact, she assisted in taking care of Kayden, making them one big and happy family. Their situation might be mixed up, but they did not care how it would look to people as they were united in their goal to help Kiarna.

Faith In Humanity Restored

After some time, the buzz of the people around kept silent and turned warm. They started to appreciate Tommy's good heart and his commitment to helping. Soon after, his brother Liam wanted to help out too. So, he set up a GoFundMe page where he detailed the life of Kiarna.

The post went viral, and within 18 days, they managed to raise around $40K. They were surprised, not just by the amount of money raised but also by the generosity and support that people extended. The post also encouraged other people on the Internet to share similar experiences.

The Start Of A Better Life

Things indeed got better since that moment. They expressed their gratitude to the strangers that helped, even connecting with some of them to provide fellowship and inspiration. Then, they used the funds to buy a new television, a fridge, a washing machine, a dryer, and all that needed financial help. Tommy even brought Kiarna to the orthodontist and got her braces. 

Moreover, he continued to assist her with writing and reading. She expressed her hidden aspiration of becoming a chef someday. What used to be a far-away dream is now becoming more attainable through the help and support from Tommy.

The Uncle/Father/Grandfather And Son Relationship

As for baby Kayden, Tommy admitted that he never intended to form an emotional attachment with the kid before it was born, but now he had become passionate about taking the father role for the child. He was also very proud of Kayden, often posting photos of them on Facebook.

One time, he wrote the caption: "Chilling with my son/grandson/godson/second cousin/training partner/mate, whatever he wants to be…." Tommy was also there by his side when he was just figuring out how to walk. He would hold his hand, stand him up against the ground, and stand by him every step.

Core Memory Unlocked

After some time, Kayden had finally mastered the art of walking and transitioned into his baby bike. As Kayden was growing up, Tommy made sure he was there in every milestone of the child's life, whether big or small.

He shared a moment with him on Facebook during Christmas, where they were hanging around the Christmas tree opening up presents. That was indeed a special moment. We can be sure that all of their shared moments will fall under Kayden's core memory, which will hold a special place in his existence.

Time To Get On Fire Again

As things got better at home, Tommy knew it was time to get passionate about school and his job again. After some time, he started a career as a real estate agent and began seeing friends more regularly. And although he paused his love for track and field, he never let go of his dream for it. 

His relationship with Olivia is doing great as usual, and he can always count on her whenever they need extra hands to help with Kayden. Tommy was excelling in both his personal life and career. Indeed, he had already achieved a lot at a young age, and he was just getting started.

Business Dreams Slowly Coming To Reality

Tommy had always expressed his dream of putting up his own business. While many people lost faith in him because of his complicated situation with his cousin, he never lost hope in what he could still do. He might have more things on his plate now, but he was still determined to make his dreams come true. 

So, he continues working at his current job to provide for the family and add up to his savings. He was doing well in equipping whatever Kiarna and Kayden needed while driving his way to personal success. He was getting closer to his dream, but there were roadblocks ahead.

Just Another Roadblock

It seems like every time Tommy is driven to get past something, there are always roadblocks that make everything more challenging. Only this time, he was more equipped with wisdom and courage that things would turn out well if he did his best. He just became the youngest grandfather, so conquering this block would be a piece of cake. 


When he expressed his intention to begin a new business, his boss did not like the idea. He told Tommy that he was too young and incompetent to start something big. Yet, Tommy didn't take that "no" for an answer, and he figured out more ways to make his dreams happen.

The Fulfillment: UN Real Estate

Even with some hustles and hindrances, Tommy rose above the circumstances every time. The dream he just used to list on the back of his school notebook has become a reality before his very eyes: the UN Real Estate Company. 

When asked why he named his company that way, he explained that people who worked under the company were un-agents. He didn't want to treat them as mere agents who were just there to meet ends, but as people working together with values. He intended his company to represent real people who endorsed real deals.

Kiarna's Redemption Chapter

As for Kiarna, she flourished under the custody of Tommy. Her primary role was to take care of Kayden and make sure he grew up to be a healthy, kind, and loving child. She also continued learning to read and write more and never lost her dream of becoming a chef someday. 

More importantly, she was reconnected with her family. They patched things up, and after all that had been done, their relationship got better. With the continued help of Tommy and support from her family, she moved into her own home with Kayden.

The Grandfather We Could All Ask For

never forgot about his commitment to being a foster parent to Kiarna and being an uncle, grandfather, and father to Kayden. He would still give them his support of all kinds: financial, emotional, etc.

When he greeted Kayden on his birthday, he said he was Queensland's happiest kid and the family's best-looking boy. He even regarded the child as the best anti-stressor and antidepressant that riches couldn't buy. He believes in his potential and would be more than willing to guide him to achieve a bright future.

New-Found Purpose

Tommy knew that his determination to help Kayden achieve a bright future was more than just an obligation. He loved the child very dearly and would not miss the best possible chance to make him the world champion in whatever path he pursues. 

Looking back on his journey, he reflected that he did not regret welcoming Kiarna and Kayden into his life, even when his personal matters were put on hold for a while. He was grateful that he didn't listen to people's opinions because these two special people gave him a newfound purpose to succeed in life even more.

Like Grandfather, Like Grandson

Helping Kayden achieve a bright future starts by guiding him in the present, and it seems like the child inherited his grandfather's passion for sports. Tommy has always been an excellent athlete at the beginning of his incredible story, particularly on track and field. In fact, he was training to compete internationally before all of these happened.

So, it wouldn't be a surprise when Kayden showed interest in the field too! He found it comfortable to walk around in an athletic uniform with a ball beside him. Tommy was very eager to know about this. Maybe they would achieve their dream of being on the international scene sport one day.

All Is Well

Before that would happen, for sure, Tommy and Kayden would have a lot of training to do together. Plus, they have to earn a lot of fortune, which Tommy exhibits well. His business is improving, he maintains a good relationship with Olivia, and he is slowly going back to his love for track and field. 

As for Kiarna, she got back to school and finally had her high school diploma. With that, she would be more able to support her son and slowly create a comfortable life, still under the guidance of his legal guardian slash favorite cousin!

Paying It Forward

Their story went viral, and Tommy earned respect and adoration from the people around him. If there was one message he wanted to spread across, it was the value of helping family and looking out for each other.


His story reflected so much kindness and compassion. Helping others might start in a very simple way, but it makes a huge difference that it could entirely change their lives. Not only that but helping others may surprisingly make your life better too. Tommy wanted people to take his story as an inspiration and pay the kindness forward whenever possible.

The Happy Ending After The Roller Coaster Ride

Tommy was once living the typical life every young adult aspires. He had his goals in mind and priorities in place until one message changed everything. It was a roller coaster ride, and even though numerous hassles and delays came his way, he valued the purpose of it all more.

Tommy's story proves that good deeds do not go to waste. Indeed, you will never go wrong in life with kindness in your heart. While Tommy became the world's youngest grandfather, we have yet to hear about the world's youngest grandmother, but that's for another story.