Charlie Matthews, a 73-year-old resident of Buena Vista, Georgia, showed up to see Democratic candidate for governor Stacey Abrams on Election Day at one of her campaign stops to a local restaurant.
Matthews presented Abrams with a bouquet of roses on behalf of the women in his family who have died and could not witness the progress the candidate has made thus far, Alyssa Pointer of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
"He said that he dedicated the flowers to Abrams on behalf of all the deceased women in his family that did not get to see her make it this far in the Gov. race," Pointer tweeted on Tuesday.
Abrams, who was the former minority leader of the state's House of Representatives, could be the first black woman ever elected as governor in the country's history.
Reactions to Pointer's photo and tweet have been immediate and viscerally emotional for many people.
@AlyssaNo_L @rtraister @staceyabrams Tears in my eyes
Many tweeted that the simple photo left them in tears.
I’m not crying, you’re crying. https://t.co/TIBaTESGo5
Sobbing like a small child... https://t.co/SCj94nrfv7
BuzzFeed News has reached out to Pointer to learn more about Matthews.