Mom’s post about accidentally hugging a stranger earns her $20k on The Ellen Show

A mom’s hilarious video detailing the awkward moment she hugged a stranger in a gas station parking lot after thinking he was doing her an act of kindness has gone viral, and now it’s even landed her on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. 

Mary Katherine Backstrom, 35, from Fort Myers, Florida gained viral attention on Facebook, where she detailed her awkward encounter with a stranger in a Wawa parking lot in a video that’s been viewed over 80 million times.

While laughing, the mom explained the she was filled with holiday spirit on that day and decided to purchase another woman’s ginger ale at the gas station — so when she saw a man cleaning her windshield in the parking lot moments later, she assumed he was performing a similar act of kindness.

Surprise! It turns out it was his car, and he was just parked near her

Oops! Mary Katherine Backstrom, 35, shared a Facebook video taken in a Wawa parking lot, in which she explained that she hugged a stranger, thinking he was washing her windshield — but it turns out it was his car, and he was just parked near her 

Awkward: Backstrom laughed hysterically while recounting the story, and her video's been viewed over 80 million times

Awkward: Backstrom laughed hysterically while recounting the story, and her video’s been viewed over 80 million times

Backstorm explained that she had just been reading an article about ‘how everybody’s so generous over the holidays and it makes everything so magical.’

In that mindset, she headed inside a Wawa convenience store, where the woman behind her in line was purchasing just a ginger ale. Backstorm decided, in the spirit of the season, to treat the woman to the drink.

‘It was a precious moment,’ Backstrom said about purchasing the beverage for the stranger. 

‘So I walk outside and I’m still in the mindset that the holidays are so magical.’ 

She continued: ‘I see this man. He’s cleaning my windshield. And I’m convinced this is the Christmas magic. And so I’m like, “Oh gosh, I just love this time of year, you know?”‘

Backstrom proceeded to walk up to the man and thank him for what she believed was a kind gesture on his part for washing her windshield. 

‘So I walk up to this man, and I am like, “This is my favorite part of humanity. I love Christmas so much. Thank you for doin’ this!” And I give him a hug,’ she detailed.  

Incredible: She explained that she'd been in a mindset of people being especially nice during the holiday season

Incredible: She explained that she'd been in a mindset of people being especially nice during the holiday season

Incredible: She explained that she’d been in a mindset of people being especially nice during the holiday season

At this point of the footage is when Backstrom collapses into a fit of giggles because she can’t believe what happened next. It takes the woman several moments before she can complete the story for viewers. 

‘It wasn’t my car,’ she said while laughing. ‘He was parked directly in front of me, and he was cleaning his own windshield. He didn’t know why I was hugging him. I think he thought I was insane.’

The moment was made all the more awkward because Backstrom just walked away without any explanation and got into her car directly behind the man. She then drove to a separate parking spot so she could film her confessional video away from the stranger. 

After she shared the moment on Facebook, it quickly went viral and has been watched 80 million times and counting — including by Ellen DeGeneres. 

It was revealed that Backstrom has also donated her kidney to her uncle, given money away, and paid off bills for friends on social media. She also helped a waitress get her car fixed. 

Going viral: She shared the moment on her Facebook page in a video and was later invited to attend The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Going viral: She shared the moment on her Facebook page in a video and was later invited to attend The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Having fun: Ellen loved Backstrom's video so much that she gifted her $20,000 to use however she pleases

 Having fun: Ellen loved Backstrom’s video so much that she gifted her $20,000 to use however she pleases

Generous: She and her husband intend to use the money to potentially pay off their student loans. They also want to use to to do 'random acts of kindness' for people

Generous: She and her husband intend to use the money to potentially pay off their student loans. They also want to use to to do ‘random acts of kindness’ for people

‘You’ve done so many other things,’ DeGeneres said. ‘So even though you don’t have a lot of money, whenever you have any extra money, you find a way to pay it forward. That’s amazing.’

Backstrom was then gifted $20,000 to do with whatever she pleases, making it quite the ‘Christmas magic’ the woman was looking for this season. 

When speaking with News-Press about appearing on The Ellen Show, Backstrom confessed to not remembering the entire moment.  

‘You know, I kind of blacked out, to be honest,’ she said. ‘There was a lot of laughs and giggles and me telling her I loved her a lot. It’s something I’ll never forget. She’s always been one of my heroes.’

She and her husband intend to use the money to potentially pay off their student loans. They also want to use to to do ‘random acts of kindness’ for people in their area. 

‘We feel like it’s this magic pot of money,’ she said, ‘and we’ve got to do something special with it. We just haven’t figured out what yet.’ 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk