One man gave his mom a Christmas gift that will last her a lifetime.
Ever since Levi Ohanenye was in college, he’s dreamed of helping pay off his mom, Dr. Genny Ohanenye’s house. Genny, 57, originally bought the home in Rex, Ga., to ensure that Levi and his younger brother Isaiah wouldn’t have to share a bedroom, which she had to do with her siblings growing up.
After years of working toward this goal, on Christmas morning, Levi — now a licensed realtor and used auto dealer in Georgia — turned that dream into reality.
“I watched her work various side jobs while being a teacher just to make ends meet, and I always said that I would pay it off,” Levi, 25, tells PEOPLE exclusively.
“Growing up, I saw many plaques and awards from all of her previous positions, and in her education career, she has been recognized at various schools and school systems,” he adds. “Her grit and hustle allowed her to obtain her doctorate in educational leadership while finishing advanced-stage breast cancer treatment. Her hustle and ambition inspire me daily in my real estate career.”
Levi Ohanenye with his brother and mom as a kid.
Levi Ohanenye
Originally, Levi planned to pay off his mom’s house and surprise her with the news for Mother’s Day. But when Christmas Day rolled around this year, he felt compelled to do it in that moment.
So, he set up the online portal and made the payment. He then went upstairs, printed out the payment confirmation, and went to show her.
“I knew she’d have nothing to say because she wasn’t expecting it,” he says. “When I surprise people, I like to catch them in the moment without warning, so I knew she’d be speechless, but I could feel the weight lifting off her shoulders!”
In the moment, Levi recorded Genny’s reaction, hoping to keep the recording as a memory to look back on. Eventually, his friends and family convinced him to post it on Instagram, which, at first, he was reluctant to do.
Ultimately, he decided to share it, and the video has since gone viral with 302,000 likes and more than 2,400 comments.
Levi Ohanenye with his brother and mom on Christmas.
Levi Ohanenye
“It felt really good to read the comments,” he says. “So many people saying that they were proud of me, that they wish that they could do the same for their parents and that I’d be blessed tenfold for my efforts. The amount of love that strangers on the Internet can give is truly amazing. I feel the love every time that I open up my Instagram.”
“I hope that people take away that anything is possible,” he continues. “My mom raised my brother and I primarily by herself. While dad is in our lives, and my parents were married when we were children, my mom played the role of two parents and raised two amazing young men. My brother is 21, and finishing up in college and working full time in college admissions.”
“I’m only 25 and have accomplished so much,” he adds. “We get it from our mama! Her strength and resilience runs through our veins.”
