
It's a sad truth that most people never say how we truly feel about a person until it's too late.
Often the nicest things said about people are at their funeral.
But Samantha Aimes-Costa, 32, is making sure that's not the case for her and her beloved mum, Susan.
Susan, 65, was first diagnosed with cancer 17 years ago and, after overcoming it twice, she is now battling stage 4 cancer which has spread to her lymph nodes, stomach and lungs.
And so when Samantha came across a list of questions to ask your parent before it's too late, she took the opportunity to ask them. And in doing so, the Adelaide-based lash technician unwittingly brought comfort to millions of others when she shared the answers online.
WATCH: In her shoes, Lea's cancer story. Post continues below.
"I was taking Mum to Queenstown for a week in April — it has always been on her bucket list — and I came across the list of questions on TikTok to ask your parents, so I saved it," Samantha tells Mamamia.
"I thought it'd be nice to have a glass of wine and ask her the questions. She was really happy to do it and she'd just gotten a new Lusta Hair wig... so I set up the camera sort of like a podcast. There was no pressure to her. But I never intended for it to be as big as it was."
The videos went viral on TikTok.
@keepingupwithsamandjesse Part 4/5 ❤️ questions to ask your parents before its too late. @Lusta Hair #cancer #motherdaughter #hairloss #wigs #stage4cancer ♬ original sound - Keeping Up With Sam & Jesse
Dressed in matching pink pyjamas, Samantha asked Susan, "What is your happiest memory of us?", "What was the moment you felt most proud of me?", "What were those first few days of motherhood like?" and "What do you want or wish most for me?"