A mother recently faced some backlash online for the way she hugged her son after a high school football game, and she has fired back at her critics.
Amber Wright, a 38-year-old from Utah, shared a video on her Instagram account on Aug. 18 that showed her and her son Brixton embracing after the high schooler’s football game. Some felt the hug was inappropriate for a mother and son.
The clip went viral and has been viewed millions of times. Wright spoke with Rachel Paula Abrahamson of TODAY.com about the attention the video received.
“I was so proud,” Wright said. “I was a proud mom hugging her kid. I never expected it to turn into something where people are like, ‘You’re sexually abusing him! You’re grooming him! I’m calling child protective services.'”
There were numerous comments criticizing Wright on her post. One user said it was wrong that she was “straddling her son” and accused Wright of being “dressed pretty sexy for a high school football game.” Another person wrote “ewww” and said they thought Wright was the player’s girlfriend.
Brixton defended his mother in an Instagram comment of his own.
“How abt (sic) you leave my mom alone,” he wrote. “She’s never abused me done anything sexual with me or my friends or groomed me. She’s my mom she is my hero the vid of us hugging was a HUG. Go bother someone else and maybe hug your own kids. You all need Jesus damn.”
Amber told TODAY.com that the exchange she shared is “just how we are.” She also said Brixton may have held onto her “a little longer” than usual because that was the first time he wore a jersey with a number representing the day his father died, which was on April 4.
In a separate Instagram post, Wright shared a screenshot that showed Brixton defending her in a direct message. Brixton mentioned in the message that he grew up with an “alcoholic dad who would just come and go when he wanted.”
Wright also addressed the backlash in a video she posted on Sunday night.
