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Long-distance son disguises himself as ‘nervous’ Carrabba’s waiter to surprise mom on 89th birthday

A mom was shocked beyond belief by a heartfelt prank from her son, and the now-viral footage is touching hearts around the world.

Joel Bartlett — aka “Paulo,” a nervous (and fictional) waiter from Brazil — decided to surprise his mom on her 89th birthday during a celebratory dinner at Carrabba’s.

We’ve seen elaborate surprises go viral before — like this wife whose hilarious Amazon prank on her husband was interrupted by an oblivious UPS driver — but Joel’s heartwarming ruse is one for the books.

The 89-year-old mom assumed she was sitting down to a simple birthday dinner with her daughter and son-in-law.

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When their waiter, “Paulo,” approached the table, the mom clearly thought nothing of it — other than perhaps he was a bit of a character.

Paulo, with his shaggy blonde hair and mysterious accent, explained that he was a bit nervous. He was new, and this was his first night on his own.

Little did she know, their colorful waiter was her son Joel in disguise, who had secretly flown in from California.

Joel was fully committed to the ruse, reading the evening’s specials and explaining the menu. He even ran to the kitchen to see if certain wines or dishes were available when the table inquired.

Finally, after taking everyone’s orders, Joel signaled to his sister that it was time for the big reveal. He snuck away, and suddenly, the sister’s phone rang.

“It’s Joey. He wants to say hi to you,” the sister said, handing the phone to Mom.

“Hey, son,” she smiled into the phone.

The waiter returned to the table and stood behind his sister. “Hi, mom,” he responded.

Mom looked up, confused, until she saw that Paulo had removed his blonde wig, revealing her long-distance son Joel.

The two shared an emotional embrace as the camera continued to film, birthing a viral sensation.

Joel’s special surprise reminds us all that when it comes to birthdays or holidays, it’s not about gifts or expensive gestures. The most meaningful presents are often just our presence!

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If you enjoyed this story, check out this stepdad who pulled his bonus daughter out of class to surprise her with her new last name!

The post Long-distance son disguises himself as ‘nervous’ Carrabba’s waiter to surprise mom on 89th birthday appeared first on In The Know.

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