A kind-hearted nine-year-old girl has been hailed an "angel" after her mother shared a touching video showing her caring for gravestones at her local cemetery. Poppy Robertson, from Alloa, regularly visits Sunnyside Cemetery with her mum, Cheryl MacLennan, 35, where she spends time cleaning headstones, picking up debris, and making sure memorials are cared for.
Video Captures Schoolgirl's Compassion
Cheryl decided to capture Poppy while she was unaware she was being filmed and posted the video to TikTok, which has captured the hearts of many Scots. The P5 pupil of Sunnyside Primary can be seen gently brushing dirt from gravestones, removing dead flowers, tidying scattered items, and replacing tributes that had blown out of place. At one point, she carefully returns a teddy bear to a war grave after finding it lying nearby.
Mother Explains Poppy's Empathy
Cheryl said her daughter has always shown a deep interest in the people resting at the cemetery, often asking questions about who they were, how old they would be now, and wondering what their lives were like. "She has always been very empathetic," the mum of four explained. "We don't have any of our loved ones resting there, but we started going to visit our old neighbours, who we were very fond of."
Therapeutic Visits
"Like Poppy, I've always found it a very therapeutic, relaxing place to be. So we'll often wander around. You see her pondering about the people there, and she likes to ask lots of questions about them. We have chats about them so they're not forgotten. She likes being there and tidying up, fixing things. She makes sure everyone's cared for."
Comfort for Families
Wanting families to know that their loved ones had not been forgotten, Cheryl decided to film her daughter naturally brushing leaves away, straightening ornaments, and ensuring graves are respectfully presented during one of their visits and share the footage online. "I thought it would give some comfort to folk who have family there," Cheryl explained. "I know not everyone can mark their respects for different reasons. It's nice for people to see that there are others that care when they cannot be there."
Outpouring of Praise
The clip quickly struck a chord with viewers, attracting an outpouring of praise from residents and families with relatives buried at Sunnyside. Some people reached out to say they are no longer physically able to visit the cemetery themselves and were comforted knowing someone was taking the time to care for the graves. Cheryl added: "It was really heartwarming that families got in touch. I never really expected anything from it! It shows simple acts of kindness go a long way."
Social Media Reactions
Dozens of TikTok users flooded the comments section with messages describing Poppy as an "angel" and thanking her for her kindness and compassion. One person wrote: "This is so beautiful. We need more of her type of energy in the world right now. One proud stranger here." Another said: "Bless, that is so sweet of her. What a caring wee soul." A third added: "Wee angel in disguise she is! The world needs more Poppys."
