In a heartwarming moment that captures the true meaning of legacy, 98-year-old MaeDell Taylor Hawkins of Kentucky met her great-great-great-granddaughter, baby Zhavia Whitaker, for the very first time.
The incredible photo—featuring six generations of women—was shared by MaeDell’s granddaughter Gracie Snow Howell and quickly captured the hearts of thousands online. Taken by another granddaughter, Sheryl Blessing, the image includes MaeDell, her daughter Frances Snow, granddaughter Gracie Snow Howell, great-granddaughter Jacqueline Ledford, great-great-granddaughter Jaisline Wilson, and little Zhavia.
“We thought this was special because it’s all girls,” said Gracie, reflecting on the rare generational moment. Baby Zhavia, just seven months old at the time, was cradled by the family matriarch who will turn 99 in July.
MaeDell’s story is as remarkable as the photo itself. At just 16 years old, she married a 50-year-old railroad worker who already had 10 children from a previous marriage. Despite the challenges—raising a large family without modern conveniences like running water or a washer and dryer—MaeDell went on to have 13 children of her own with her husband, Bill Taylor.