A self-proclaimed “cat lady” from Nebraska has offered to stand-in as mother-to-the-groom at an LGBTQ+ couple’s wedding after his biological mother turned down his invitation.
It all started on 17 September when Noah James, a 28-year-old non-binary person from Omaha, posted on TikTok that his mother will not be attending his wedding in 2023 because she will be “out of the country,” and called on TikTok’s “mom friends” community to spread some love his way.
“I asked my mom if she wanted to be invited to my wedding next year,” he began the TikTok video. “She said she wasn’t sure, but that the ‘issue’ was solved anyway, as she’ll be out of the country the day I get married. She’d move mountains for everyone but me, the black sheep. The gay disgrace. I feel unloved, unwanted. I feel so sad. All I wanted was her love and support. It’s the one thing I’ll never get.”
Noah added: “My wedding will still be amazing. My fiancée stands beside me through it all. But part of me will always wish my mom loved me as I am.”
That’s when Rosie, also known as @north_omaha_cat_lady to her three million TikTok followers, chimed in. Rosie stitched Noah’s TikTok video on 30 October, asking “where and when” the wedding was taking place.
“If your family is not supportive of you, find a new family. I will stand in for your mother if you don’t mind having an old fat mother in a muumuu at your wedding,” the 56-year-old Ohama native said. “I will pay for the plane ticket, I will pay for my lodging and everything, I will walk you down the aisle.”
The video has since been viewed 3.6m times.
On 13 November, Rosie revealed that she had been in touch with Noah since posting her response, and the two were about to meet up for some ramen noodles. In the follow-up video, she explained that they had decided she would stand-in for Noah as his mother, although she felt “really nervous” to meet the groom-to-be.
After their dinner date, Rosie took to TikTok to reveal how the meet-up went down.
“I have a son!” she said, smiling. “I have a handsome son named Noah who is getting married to the most wonderful person ever named Bat and I could not be happier. Noah, this mama is always going to be there for you. I’m proud of you and I’ll be there at your wedding.”
Speaking to The Independent, Noah discussed his serendipitous exchange with Rosie and how they were able to form a lasting connection all through TikTok. When the 28-year-old health care worker first posted the video about his mother’s wedding invitation, Noah explained how he was looking for some support on TikTok. But what he didn’t expect was to receive millions of views and comments from fellow moms saying they’d all come to the wedding.
“I was shocked! I never thought little ‘ol me in Omaha, Nebraska would gain that kind of support,” he said. “I still feel like I don’t deserve it, but I’m so thankful for the overwhelmingly positive response. So many moms have messaged me, sent me cards, and posted kind words.”
After viewing Rosie’s response to the TikTok video, Noah reached out and discussed grabbing dinner along with his fiancée, Bat. Prior to meeting Rosie, Noah said he felt “a little nervous” but “all of that melted away” the minute they met each other.
“I was definitely a little nervous!” he explained. “Would she like me? Would she like my fiancée? Sometimes I’m awkward and worried I’d be awkward and scare her away. But all of that melted away the minute I met her. She accepted me from the minute she saw me and it was amazing.”
Although the couple have since decided to walk each other down the aisle, Rosie – along with Bat’s mother, and two more chosen moms – will all be present at the ceremony. “That’s really all I could ever ask for,” Noah said. “It’ll be a hard day without my biological mom so it means a lot to me that Rosie will be there.”
However, Noah hopes that people going through a similar situation can see his friendship with Rosie and know that they aren’t alone.
“So many people have gone through similar things. No matter what happens, you aren’t alone,” he said. “There’s a chosen family out there who will love you exactly as you are. People deserve to be loved unconditionally, and I found that on TikTok.”
