Tear-jerker song for mother who died of cancer goes viral

A 16-year-old from Manchester in the United Kingdom wrote a heart-wrenching tribute song to her mom who died of cancer at the age of 45.

Caitlin Burke’s Not That Far Apart became an internet hit after her mother, Carolyn, passed away in March following a two-year struggle with ovarian cancer, according to the Manchester Evening Standard.

After sharing a video of herself singing the song on Facebook it was viewed over 53 000 times: 

The video was captioned: "This is for my mom, and for everyone else who doesn’t have a loved one present this Christmas. An original song by me.

"I hope you enjoy it. Please share so people know they aren’t alone."

Performing in the school choir and church concerts became difficult for Caitlin after her mother was diagnosed with the illness.

But despite her declining health, Carolyn continued to encourage her daughter to pursue her musical talent. "My mom used to love me singing and she’d come to all my concerts.

"I've been singing ever since I can remember and she always encouraged me. She used to always give me a massive scream when I finished," she said.

The teen, currently living with her grandparents, is surprised at the song’s positive reception. "It's crazy how many times it's been shared, and so many people have said how much they love it," she told the Mirror.

Caitlin believes her mother would be proud of her.

"When I wrote it I thought people might get upset, but I didn't know everyone would cry.

"People have said to me that although it's sad and comes from the heart and from experience, it's a very relatable thing and many have gone through something similar.

"I just hope it helps people who might be going through a bad time."

Sources: Mirror, Manchester Evening Standard, ITV News