80-year-old grandpa in shock as family dress up as him throughout the years

Bill Webb, affectionately known as “Papaw” to his family, was treated to an unexpected surprise for his 80th birthday—a trip down memory lane.

In a video posted to TikTok, his 21-year-old granddaughter, Kenzie Greene, shared how she and her family recreated her grandfather’s most iconic looks from his life. The family went all out to honor the patriarch by dressing as him during different eras, leaving Papaw shocked—and in stitches. Greene spoke to Newsweek about how the idea came about and what her grandfather means to her.

“For our Papaw’s 80th birthday, we surprised him by dressing like eras from his life,” Greene captioned the video. “The best way to celebrate 80 years!”

In the video, Greene’s grandfather can be seen laughing loudly as each member of the family revealed themselves.

“He was thrilled!” Greene said of his reaction. “He told me his favorite era was ‘college frat’ because I’m his only granddaughter.”

Each grandchild represented a unique stage in Webb’s life: Hutton, 19, took on Webb’s football-playing days, while Carson, 20, recreated Webb’s wedding look. Greene, a student at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, like her grandfather, took on his college years.

The idea was born from Webb’s three daughters who wanted to celebrate their father’s life and legacy.

“It was a collaborative idea,” Greene said. “My mom, Stacy, helped fine-tune the plan, and we made sure to film it to capture the moment…Everyone arrived at my parents’ house early to set up, and when we got word Papaw was there, the cousins all revealed themselves,” Greene said.

As they showed Webb a reflection of his earlier years, it brought back cherished memories for the couple, Greene said. For even more fun, the entire family, including aunts, uncles and even fiancés, dressed in Webb’s signature maroon sweatshirt and khaki pants to honor his typical casual style.

Webb’s reaction was priceless—something viewers of the video took note of.

“You really took this man down memory lane, and it’s so special to see the way his eyes light up when he remembers each memory,” one person wrote.

“That is the sweetest most beautiful thing,” another wrote. “Papaw’s greatest accomplishment is clearly the beautiful family he created.”

“He seriously is the best,” Greene concluded. “He and Nana always show up for every grandchild, whether it’s a sporting event, school function, birthday or holiday. We just wanted him to feel celebrated and loved.”