Actor Walton Goggins shared a photo from his recent visit with his mother, Janet Long, showing how his family is adapting to social distancing and the coronavirus pandemic. Goggins explained that his mother lives in a retirement community, and is therefore at a high risk to transmit COVID-19 to vulnerable people. Still, he found a way to see her, in a manner of speaking.
Goggins posted a photo of his mother leaning against the outside of a building — presumably her retirement home. She wore comfortable clothes, including sweatpants, sneakers and a fleece jacket, with her white hair pulled back by a clip. She had two bottle of wine on the concrete by her feet and she wore a big smile, apparently looking at her son from a bit of a distance.
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“So I called my mama… (she’s in a retirement community here in LA),” Goggins wrote. “Said ‘I gotta see you mama. Meet me out front and I’ll stand 15 feet away.’ She said ‘I gotta see you too Son… will you please bring me two bottles of read for my nightly Scrabble game?!’”
Goggins revealed that his response was a stout: “‘Of course Mama,’” and finished the post off with a cheerful “Happy Sunday everybody!”
Fans cheered Goggins and his mother in the comments for finding a way to connect even through the painful process of social distancing. Experts have warned that places like retirement communities and nursing homes are some of the most vulnerable places to the pandemic. As hard as it is, they are urging people not to visit the elderly there.
“Made my morning!” one fan wrote.
“This may be the nicest thing I’ve seen all day! Way to go Walton,” added another.
“Awwwwwww… [I] did the same with my parents yesterday!!! I will never take for granted being able to hug and kiss my parents ever again,” a third fan commented.
Goggins was born in Birmingham, Alabama and was raised in Lithia Springs, Georgia, according to a report by TV Guide. He moved out to L.A. when he was 19 years old to pursue a career as an actor, beginning as a valet driver until he could find work. He is best-known for shows like The Shield, Justified and Sons of Anarchy, and for movies like Django Unchained, Cowboys & Aliens and The Accountant.
These days, Goggins stars in The Unicorn, a new family comedy on CBS. The show had a critically lauded first season, with five more episodes currently on back order. With much of Hollywood slowed or stopped during the pandemic, however, there is no telling when the next installment might come.
For the latest information on the coronavirus pandemic, visit the CDC’s website.
