A 97-year-old grandma’s unwavering passion for the Golden State Warriors has captured the hearts of thousands online, thanks to a viral TikTok video shared by her granddaughter.
In the heartwarming clip, posted by Justine (@hihellojustine on TikTok) and amassing nearly 250,000 views, Justine picks up her grandma Carmen Katindoy’s notebook filled with the names and jersey numbers of every player on the Warriors roster. “I like your notebook where you have all the Warriors players,” Justine says, highlighting her grandma’s dedicated fandom.
Justine then quizzes Carmen on her knowledge. When asked about No. 21, Carmen quickly responds with “Post,” referring to center Quinten Post. For No. 61, she nails it with “Pat Spencer,” the team’s guard. “Oh, you know your people,” Justine laughs.
Speaking exclusively to PEOPLE, Justine reveals this is par for the course for her grandma. “My grandma is a huge Warriors fan,” says Justine, a nurse practitioner. “She watches every single game and has been writing down all of the players and their numbers in her little notebook for years.”
During a recent visit home to the Bay Area, the pair watched a game together, with Carmen using her notebook as a reference. Justine found it adorable, especially from someone who had just turned 97, and decided to share a few videos on TikTok.
In one follow-up clip, they review the current roster. For No. 2, Carmen confidently says “Brandin Podziemski,” even mimicking his curly hair with a gesture. Without hesitation, she names Stephen Curry, No. 30, as her all-time favorite.
“I like how she created a visual for Podziemski’s curly hair 😆🧑🏽🦱 but of course @Stephen Curry you’re her favorite player of all time — she’s locked in from her bed for every single game 🏀,” Justine captioned the post.
The videos exploded in popularity, leaving Justine and her family stunned. “I was pleasantly surprised,” she says. “We told my grandma about her newfound virality, but she didn’t really understand it at first. She’s never been on social media, so we had to explain how it all worked — and why so many people were watching her video.”
What touched Justine most were the comments from strangers. “It was really heartwarming that the internet enjoyed seeing my grandma be such a big Warriors fan,” she shares. “But what was even sweeter was how many people started tagging the Warriors. Complete strangers who had never met my grandma were rooting for the team to acknowledge her — and the coolest part was that it actually worked.”
View this post on Instagram
The buzz reached the Warriors’ locker room, prompting Stephen Curry to record a personal message for Carmen, shared on the team’s Instagram. “Hey Grandma Carmen, we just want to say thank you so much for the love and support — and for following us every step of the way,” Curry says. “We want to wish you a happy 97th birthday. Thanks for being the biggest Warriors fan out there, and we hope we keep making you proud.”
Carmen was over the moon. “She was shocked and ecstatic,” Justine recalls. “Stephen Curry is her favorite Warrior of all time — she loves watching him play. I’d even posted a few follow-up videos where she specifically says Curry is her favorite, so getting a personal message from the GOAT himself was such an honor. She even recorded a little video back, calling him her ‘best Warrior.’”
Justine hopes the story encourages others to cherish their loved ones. “My hope is that watching this lighthearted moment inspires people to spend time with the people they care about while they still can,” she adds. “Go visit your grandparents. Call them. Hug them. Watch a basketball game together. Ask about their lives 20, 30, 40 years ago, and get it on video. You won’t regret it. I know I’ll cherish these moments forever.”