You Won't Believe What These Toddlers Did With Grandpa's Ashes!

For Monica Long, a busy single mom from Colorado, cleaning up after her three young boys was nothing out of the ordinary. Earlier this year, her usual chaos escalated into a bizarre incident that took the internet by storm — and left her laughing, crying, and cleaning up an unexpected mess.

Mystery Mess

Long's boys, ages 14, 3, and 2, often make her household a whirlwind of activity. While preparing for her youngest son's birthday party, Long stepped away for just a few minutes. When she returned, she found her toddlers covered in what looked like dirt, with the mystery mess scattered across the floor.

Like any overworked parent, she quickly wiped them down, vacuumed the mess, and went on with her day. She had no idea that this "dirt" would turn out to be her late grandfather's cremated remains.

'The Boys Got PawPaw!'

Long didn't realize the truth until days later when she noticed her grandfather's ashes were missing from their plastic container. That's when it dawned on her: her adventurous toddlers had climbed up to a high shelf, opened the bottle, and emptied the contents everywhere.

To make matters worse — or more hilarious — her youngest son had a knack for unscrewing bottles with his teeth. This explained why the boys had white dust on their lips. In disbelief, Long said, "They might have eaten part of their grandfather, which is horrifying," according to PEOPLE.

Sharing the Story With the World

Initially, Long shared a lighthearted video of the incident with her sister. She decided to post it on TikTok^®, where it quickly went viral, racking up more than 2.3 million views. While most people found the story hilarious, a few viewers criticized her parenting. Long brushed off the negativity, saying everyone is entitled to their opinions.

Her family took the news surprisingly well. Long's grandmother laughed, reassuring her with, "Don't worry, we have more PawPaw," as reported by PEOPLE. Long's dad, too, found humor in the situation, commenting that the toddlers' mischief seemed fitting.

A Reminder to Find Humor in Life's Messes

While Long's story might sound like something out of a dark comedy, it underscores the unpredictability of parenting. Her late grandfather, a Vietnam veteran and school principal with a reputation for his own shenanigans, would likely have appreciated the humor in it. Long said, "This would be another story for him to laugh about," as reported by PEOPLE.

The incident might have been messy — both literally and emotionally — but Long has chosen to laugh and cherish the memory of her PawPaw. After all, as her TikTok fans would agree, sometimes life's darkest moments make for the funniest stories.

References: Mom Washes Dirt Out of Sons' Mouths and Vacuums It Off Her Floor. Days Later, She Learns It Wasn't Dirt (Exclusive) | Toddlers Played with Dead Grandpa's Ashes — And May Have Eaten Them, Shocked Mom Says