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This Mom Wore A Buzz Lightyear Helmet To The Store On A Mission For Chicken Nuggets

When it comes to motherhood, improvisation is key. Especially during these uncertain times when just trying to make sure your kids are fed requires so much extra planning and consideration. So let's all take a moment to fully appreciate this mom wearing a Buzz Lightyear helmet to the grocery store on a mission for chicken nuggets. She really went to infinity and beyond.

Kelly Hogan Painter from Waxhaw, North Carolina tells Romper she has an autistic 2-year-old son with food sensory issues and "one of the ONLY things he will eat is chicken nuggets." And, unfortunately, Painter was completely out of chicken nuggets at the beginning of April, which was around the same time that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended that people should wear face masks in public settings to contain the spread of the coronavirus. "My mother-in-law sent a bunch of us (via group text) the warning," she says.

Because of this, Painter's husband didn't want her to go to the grocery store without a mask, but they didn't have any in the house. Even so, Painter tells Romper, "my son was getting chicken nuggets even if it killed me."

So she decided to come up with the best improvised mask ever — a Buzz Lightyear helmet. Now please enjoy a video of Painter getting ready to head in to the supermarket wearing said helmet.

Painter tells Romper that her husband bet her she wouldn't wear the helmet into the grocery store and she took him up on that bet. In the video shared on Facebook, she bravely closes the front shield of her Buzz Lightyear helmet and says, "I'm going in." Just like a real hero on a mission. A mission for chicken nuggets and presumably a few other groceries.

The video has nearly 100,000 views from people who honestly just needed a laugh during these difficult times. "This is the best thing I have seen yet!" one viewer commented, while another said, "Oh my gosh this is the content gold that I have been waiting on!!!" And that's exactly what Painter, who is also the mom of a 1-year-old and a 9-year-old, hoped might happen.

And don't worry, Painter says she continues to wear the Buzz Lightyear helmet during her supermarket runs because she's "just trying to keep everyone’s smiles alive through this 'frowny' time."

If you think you’re showing symptoms of coronavirus, which include fever, shortness of breath, and cough, call your doctor before going to get tested. If you’re anxious about the virus’s spread in your community, visit the CDC for up-to-date information and resources, or seek out mental health support. You can find all of Romper’s parents + coronavirus coverage here, and Bustle’s constantly updated, general “what to know about coronavirus” here.