This is the emotional moment an 83-year-old grandfather saw an image of his mother for the first time in 70 years . Thomas Cain 's mother Ora Mae died in 1943 , when he was just 12 years old , and he was left thinking that there were no surviving photographs of her . But this footage , recorded in 2013 , shows the moment his enterprising granddaughter , Andrea Ferrell , 29 , gave him an old photograph she acquired from a distant relative . Shock and tears : An emotional Thomas Cain is shown , left , looking at the old photograph , while to the right is his shocked expression once he realizes what it is . In the video she hands Mr Cain her present , which dates from the 1920s and shows his mother as a teenager , while his family encourage him . When his daughter , Joyce , explains by saying 'That 's your momma ' , a shocked Mr Cain can only exclaim 'what ? ! ' As the realization dawns on him Mr Cain chokes up and starts crying . He asks 'Where 'd it come from ? ' , prompting Ferrell to explain she found it with a distant relative in Florida after appealing for information in her local paper . Long-lost : Mr Cain poses above with the old photograph . He had assumed there was no photographic record of his mother , who died when he was just 13 . His mother , Ora Mae , ( detail right ) is thought to be a teenager in the image , which dates from the 1920s . Gift : Andrea Ferrell , left , hunted down the old image for her beloved grandfather . Writing about the discovery on social media , Ferrell described her 'Pawpaw ' as 'the greatest , most humble , God-fearing , family-oriented , loving man in the entire world ' adding that 'he deserves ' the happy surprise , which took two years to track down . Ferrell also explained that her quest for more photographs of her ancestors is not yet over . In a post she said she is also hunting down pictures of Mr Cain 's father , Henry , who also died when he was young . Ferrell told DailyMail.com she has managed to track down images of many of Mr Cain 's other relatives , including siblings , cousins , aunts and uncles - but that Henry Cain remains elusive .
Thomas Cain 's mother Orae Mae died in the 1920s , when he was just 13 . He thought that no photographs of her had survived . Granddaughter Andrea Ferrell , 29 , tracked one down , and filmed the reveal . Emotional Mr Cain sheds tears as he looks on image from 1943 . Ferrell is now looking for other photos - especially Mr Cain 's father . Can you help Andrea Ferrell track down the photograph of her great-grandfather , Henry Cain ? Email her at andreavferrell @ gmail.com .