At 98 years old, MaeDell Taylor Hawkins, the matriarch of an extensive Kentucky family, had a heartwarming and memorable moment when she finally met her first great-great-great-grandchild this past February.
The heartwarming encounter took place as MaeDell held seven-month-old Zhavia Whitaker for the very first time, and the touching moment was captured in a viral photo posted by her granddaughter, Gracie Snow Howell.
MaeDell’s family is truly remarkable in its size and generational depth. She has more than 620 grandchildren today, including the children of her own daughters and their children’s children.
In the photo, alongside MaeDell, are her daughter Frances Snow, granddaughters Gracie Snow Howell, great-granddaughter Jacqueline Ledford, and great-great-granddaughter Jaisline Wilson. The photo was taken by Sheryl Blessing, Hawkins’ granddaughter.
MaeDell is set to celebrate her 99th birthday in July, and her life has been a remarkable journey. At the age of 16, in 1940, she married Bill Taylor, a 50-year-old railroad worker with ten children from a previous relationship. Despite the age difference and the challenges they faced, they had 13 children together.
Life was far from easy, with the family living without many modern conveniences. They didn’t have a washer and dryer, and running water was also a luxury they didn’t have. Despite these hardships, MaeDell never complained, and her daughter Frances maintained a positive attitude about their circumstances.
This heartwarming photo of six generations of women is a testament to the love and support MaeDell provided, resulting in generations of happy, healthy women and children.
The family is planning to gather again in June to take another photo, provided that everything goes well for the baby and Grandma. According to reports, MaeDell has a remarkable family with 106 grandchildren, 222 great-grandchildren, 234 great-great-grandchildren, and 37 great-great-great-grandchildren living across the United States.
The love and legacy that MaeDell has created with her large and growing family is truly heartwarming, and it’s a testament to the power of familial bonds and the enduring impact of a matriarch’s love and strength.
