It was the most emotional moment of the ceremony — a son saying goodbye to his mother, the world-famous Dr. Jane Goodall 🥹. Standing before family and friends, Hugo van Lawick Jr. spoke of love, laughter, and lessons among the trees of Gombe. “To the world, she was Dr. Jane Goodall,” he said. “To me, she was Mum.” 💔 Then he shared her final wish: “Go outside. Listen to the wind. Care for something wild.”

In one of the most emotional moments of the service celebrating Dr. Jane Goodall’s extraordinary life, her only son, Hugo van Lawick Jr., took to the podium to deliver a deeply personal tribute — one that moved the packed Westminster Abbey to tears.

“To the world, she was Dr. Jane Goodall — the scientist, the pioneer, the legend,” Hugo began softly, pausing as his voice trembled. “But to me, she was simply Mum — gentle, curious, endlessly kind.”

As he spoke, a hush fell over the congregation. Those who had gathered — from global leaders and fellow conservationists to lifelong friends — listened intently as Hugo painted a vivid picture of his childhood in Gombe Stream National Park, the place where his mother’s groundbreaking work with chimpanzees began.

“I remember laughter echoing through the forest,” he said. “She’d come home dusty and tired, but her eyes always sparkled. Every day with her felt like an adventure — not just through nature, but through the wonder of life itself.”

He recalled her compassion not only for animals but for every living being she encountered — from villagers in Tanzania to children she met on her endless travels. “She carried love the way others carry air — naturally, constantly, without effort,” he reflected.

As he continued, his words grew more intimate. “Mum taught me that hope is not naïve — it’s necessary. She believed that even in the darkest times, we must never stop believing that change is possible.”

Hugo paused to steady his breath before offering a final message to those who admired his mother:
“If you wish to honor her,” he said, his voice breaking slightly, “go outside. Listen to the wind. Care for something wild. That’s how she’d want to be remembered.”

The silence that followed was profound — the kind that needs no applause, only understanding. Tears glistened across the faces of guests, including Prince William, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Dr. Goodall’s lifelong colleagues from the Jane Goodall Institute.

A soft murmur of agreement swept through the pews as Hugo stepped down, the organ beginning to play one of Jane’s favorite hymns — Morning Has Broken.

Later, attendees would describe the moment as “the emotional heart of the service.” One guest shared, “It wasn’t a son mourning a global icon — it was a child saying goodbye to his mother, and somehow, we all felt part of that love.”

As the ceremony came to a close, the message lingered in every heart present — a reminder that Jane Goodall’s greatest legacy wasn’t just in science, but in the quiet, enduring kindness she passed on to her son — and to the world.