Following the backlash that a mom received after hugging her son at a football game, her son has spoken out in her defense.
As previously reported, Amber Wright, a single mom from Utah, shared footage of herself and her 16-year-old son Brixton sharing a hug after a football game.
The clip, which shows Wright wrapping her limbs around her son and being lifted off the ground, has been viewed a staggering nine million times.
The video has gained so much traction, that the mom has been propelled from 1,500 followers to 25,000 followers in a short space of time.
But as is typical on the internet, what many would perceive to be a harmless show of love between a mother and her son was met with a wave of criticism.
"I was so proud, I was a proud mom hugging her kid," Wright told Today.
"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,'" she continued.
Some of the critical comments read: "It would’ve been cute if it was his girlfriend, but not a mother," and: "I don’t think anyone has an issue with your son picking you up, just the [fact] that it appears you're straddling your son. You’re also dressed pretty sexy for a high school football game."
Brixton has since spoken out about the backlash that the video received, and it's obvious that he thinks there is nothing sinister about the way that he and his mother embraced.
Writing a comment under one of his mother's Instagram posts, the 16-year-old said: "How about you leave my mom alone. 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 video of us hugging was a HUG. Go bother someone else and maybe hug your own kids. You all need Jesus damn."
Furthering their defense, Wright said: "I come from a very affectionate family. I hug my dad every time I see him. What you saw on the football field is just how we are. Brix will pick me up and squeeze me and then put me back down."
Following the tragic passing of Brixton's father on April 4, the 16-year-old was wearing a commemorative jersey in his honor and Wright claimed that this was the catalyst for them both being overcome with emotion, resulting in the hug being a "little longer" than normal.
"He was feeling emotional, and I think as his mom, I’m his safe space," Wright said.
Although the mother and son duo have been subjected to harsh criticism, they haven't been without their supporters.
Wright has claimed that she received many messages of support from people who wanted to share their own experiences.
Positive comments can also be found underneath the video, with one person saying: "You go mom! People don’t know the full truth around a situation because they’re just too busy judging the cover and not even bothering to look on the inside."
A second added: "I feel so bad for you and your son. Nobody deserves to be publicly bashed. This was a ridiculous example of who people have become."
Given the circumstances around the loss of a family member, I'm sure we can all agree that the hug isn't as sinister as some are making out.