Some stories are so unusual that they just have to be shared with the world. The story of Tommy Connolly is one such story. Not only is it unusual, it will also warm your heart and restore your faith in the world. Tommy was just your average 23-year-old guy.

He went to university in Queensland, Australia, had a regular part-time job as a real estate agent, and had a lot of friends and loving family members. Everything about him was very ordinary—until one day when he got a message that changed his life forever.

The Normal Life Of A Regular Guy

Tommy lived life like every university-going student. Apart from school and making time for a social life, Tommy was an accomplished athlete and had great potential in track and field. His coaches saw it too, and he was on his way to compete internationally.

Tommy would go on hikes or go rock climbing in his off time. During vacation days from school, he'd do part-time jobs to save cash, and at the age of 23, he was already doing more than most people his age. Guess all that came in handy when it came to raising his grandson. But exactly how did that happen?

Dreams Of Starting A Business

Tommy studied business and economics at school and dreamed of starting his own business. He was good at managing money and had saved up, too! Tommy was definitely more accomplished than other kids his age and had a set career path that he worked tirelessly towards.

He also had a wonderful and supportive girlfriend. He had been dating Olivia Tauro, who encouraged him every step of the way. And even when the unforeseen circumstances unfolded in his life, she was there for him. People around them had a lot to say, but Olivia stuck with him all the way.

The Message That Changed Everything

One random day he gets a message from his cousin who had moved away to another city. They hadn't spoken in over a decade, but Tommy remembered how well they got along and how she was one of his favorite cousins.

His cousin, Kiarna, was 16 when she messaged Tommy. And while he was excited to hear from her, a few messages in, and he could already tell something was terribly wrong. It turns out Kiarna hasn't had the best life and these past few years were quite rough. She was a teen in trouble who was homeless, broke, and barely surviving with one backpack of clothes.

More Time On The Streets Than In A Home

Tommy was shocked to hear of Kiarna's situation and was left feeling heartbroken for her. There were many reasons that led to her leaving home and sleeping on the streets. Her boyfriend was in jail, and she was all alone with nothing to her name.

She had a few run-ins with the law and also got involved in drug use. She was not in contact with her family, and a minor in this situation would not be able to survive very long with no help. Lucky for her, Tommy stepped up!

Immediate Action

Tommy was devastated to learn about Kiarna's situation, and before she could even ask, he went to pick her up. He knew helping her would come with a cost, but he was ready to make the sacrifice and gave her a place in his home.

He took her to lunch, and Kiarna shared her horrible life story with him. It was enough to disturb Tommy, to the point where he did what he had to do. He was not going to let this relative of her suffer any longer, and her story changed everything.

Kiarna's Sad Story

As Kiarana told Tommy about her situation, he discovered that she spent most of her life in and out of foster care until she eventually ended up on the streets. She was living a horrible life as a homeless person and knew the police more than her parents.

According to statistics from 2016, young people aged 15-24 made up 21% of the homeless population. Her boyfriend was in prison, and Kiarna was all on her own. Tommy was ready to help, but he didn’t know about the secret she was hiding out of fear.

The Life-changing Moment

Tommy was simultaneously working while studying and had a lot on his plate. However, he knew he had to step up for his favorite cousin and decided that it was time to make her misery end. He knew that he was all she had, and he was the only one who could help her.

So he did what only the best of us would. He became Kiarna's permanent guardian and gave her a place in his home. He was going to make sure she regained her health and got back to school.

The Secret

Eventually, Kiarna told Tommy that she was 23 weeks pregnant! She didn't tell him before because she was afraid he would abandon her, but according to Tommy, family is family! However, the infant was coming very soon, and there was one big issue that Tommy had to resolve.

Kiarna was going to be a teenage mother. In Australia, the number of teenage mothers had actually fallen from 2005 to 2015. In fact, 8,268 newborns came out of 8,203 teenage mothers aged less than 20 in 2015. That made 2.7% of all mothers teenagers.

Separation From The Baby

The problem was that Kiarna was a minor, and her baby would be taken to foster care as soon as she delivered them because she had no adult family. However, she wanted to give her newborn the best life and knew she had to be present for that.

Kiarna wanted to be a part of her child's life, which put Tommy in quite a tough spot. He knew he had to process the paperwork fast, and Kiarna was hopeful, too, as Tommy was there to help her keep her precious firstborn.

Road Blocks Ahead

Tommy was now in a race against time and had to tend to legal matters to become her legal guardian before she gave birth. He was also accompanying her to her hospital visits while buying furnishings and clothing for the child, working, and managing his school duties.

However, the first real blow came when Tommy was told he did not qualify to be her legal guardian. It was a big challenge to work around the law, and they were heartbroken. Yet, Tommy was determined, and he was not going to give up.

Ready To Do What It Takes

Tommy knew he had to make this happen for Kiarna's sake. He couldn't let a few roadblocks stop him, and after seeking legal advice, he learned there were loopholes that could make it happen. He used up his life's savings to buy a bigger home and took a break from sports.

He spent the next few months moving, going to doctor's appointments, having meetings, and signing forms. He even started teaching Kiarna how to read and write, and with his help, she passed her driving test. Her life was truly back on track.

Finally Approved!

Tommy filed for custody and hoped for the best. This time, their request was approved, and he officially became Kiarna's legal guardian. They really could not believe it. Now the future of Kiarna and her child was secured because she could finally take care of the infant herself.

In just a few months, her life had completely transformed. Tommy's life took a turn, too, as his athletics career was put on hold, but he didn't care. For him, family comes first, and he knew he had to do the right thing.

The Big Day

Tommy had altered the course of Kiarna's life entirely, and he even got her a kitten! Now the big day was just around the corner. Just two months after he became Kiarna's legal guardian, she gave birth to a healthy baby boy. He waited for the delivery outside the birthing room and simultaneously worked on a school assignment.

He even filmed the birth, cut the umbilical cord, made it to his campus the next day, and gave a killer presentation! At the age of 23, Tommy was legally a grandfather, of course, only legally.

An Unusual Family

They named the baby Kayden and instantly fell in love with him. Tommy and his girlfriend helped take care of the cute child, making them one big happy family. It was unusual, but they didn't care what people thought, and all pitched in to help. Tommy even said that Kiarna was the toughest girl she's ever known.

All that Kiarna wanted for his son to have a better life than she ever had. And although they still had a long way to go, things are on track, and she at least has the chance she deserves. As Tommy added, your family should always support you whenever bad things happen.

A Better Life

Kayden and Kiarna are now living a safe and happy life with Tommy. Even the local community pitched in when they heard of their situation, and someone even set up a GoFundMe to help them out. Luckily, they got a lot of funds.

They were able to buy a new washing machine, a fridge, a dryer, a TV and some things for the kitchen with that financial help. The sacrifice that Tommy made was paying off. He provided the life Kiarna and her child needed, and things were truly looking up with the help of a few kind strangers.

Towards The Future

Now that everything was okay, Tommy started focusing on school and his job again. He worked as a real estate agent while also taking on some grandfatherly duties. His relationship with his girlfriend was going great, and she was even there to help him out with Kayden.

He was excelling both in his personal life and his career. For someone so young, Tommy had certainly achieved a lot. However, he had bigger dreams, and with his determination, he was definitely going to make something great happen for himself no matter what.

A New Business

Tommy dreamed of starting his own business, and he was determined to do just that. He had a lot on his plate, but he knew he had to make his dreams come true on top of caring for his new family. So he worked hard.

He continued at his current job to make money so he could provide for the family and also took on some responsibilities of Kayden. Of course, Kiarna did most of the work, but it would not have been possible without Tommy’s support and drive. Now, Tommy was looking towards his own business, but there were roadblocks ahead.

Never Say Never

Tommy's boss told him he could never start his own business. He was too young, didn't have the experience needed, and had too much on his plate. Despite that, he was determined and didn't take 'no' for an answer. He was too ambitious and proved his boss wrong.

Tommy had faith in himself, and why wouldn't he? After all, he had just become the youngest grandfather in the world and was raising a child and taking care of a teenager. So compared to that, starting his own business would be a piece of cake.

UN Real Estate

Tommy named his company UN Real Estate. When asked why he chose that name, he answered that the people who worked there were un-agents. That means they're regular people and aren't those stereotypical real estate agents. According to Tommy, the brand represents real people, not shady, manipulative, rude, and cheesy salesmen.

He didn't want to start a company that focused solely on making a quick buck. He wanted his business to feel like a family. And now he finally made his dream come true. Tommy's life transformed in many ways in just a few months.

The Message

Tommy made a massive difference in Kiarna and Kayden's life and saved them. His story went viral, and many people appreciated him. It was family helping family and looking out for each other, and Tommy wanted to spread that message. He wants people to pay it forward and do the right thing whenever possible because it could literally save someone's life.

The message Tommy wants to send out into the world is one of kindness and compassion. When you help somebody, you not only make a huge difference in their lives, but in some surprising way, your life may get better due to that action, too.

The Bigger Picture

Due to his decision, Tommy lost some friends, and many did not support him. They believed he was giving up his life and had so much to look forward to. Still, Tommy saw the bigger picture, and when Kayden was born, it all made sense.

He wanted to keep him safe and be the dad he never had. He had not met his own father for 13 years and wanted Kayden to grow up with a parental figure and someone by his side. Sure, it affected his career, but Tommy knew it was worth it!

Reconnected

Tommy truly loves Kayden and did show it every chance he got. He even greeted the kid on his birthday by saying that he was Queensland's happiest lad and the family's best-looking boy. He also called Kayden the best anti-depressant that any riches couldn't buy. And before saying that he loves the kid, he also said he could be the future world champion for anything he decides to do.

Kiarna was also reconnected with her family, and their relationship got better. She moved into her own and is now raising Kayden to the best of her abilities. Of course, Tommy is still in the picture.

A Happy Ending

In the end, everything turned out okay. All of Tommy's hard work and struggles paid off, and Kiarna and Kayden are doing great. Tommy has his life in order, too, and his business is doing great. Kiarna was able to get a high school diploma and is able to support her son.

So it's true; good deeds don't go to waste! And while Tommy became the world's youngest grandparent, legally, a woman from a village in Romania became the youngest grandmother biologically at the age of 23. Her name is Rifca Stanescu, but that's for another story.