Pictured: Lorraine C. Ladish and her Milton tree have gone viral on social media. Photo courtesy of Lorraine C. Ladish.

What should you do if a tree crashes through your roof and into your bedroom? If you’re like Lorraine C. Ladish, you might just dress it up in stylish boots and dance with it!

Ladish is a prominent advocate for women’s empowerment and the CEO and co-founder of Viva Fifty!, a vibrant bilingual community celebrating life after 50. Originally from Madrid and now residing in Sarasota, she connects with diverse audiences through her bilingual background. An accomplished author, she has written several books on personal experiences, tackling topics such as mental health and entrepreneurship. Over the past decade, she has become a prolific content creator and social media influencer, featured in outlets like Oprah Daily and AARP. Lorraine is passionate about combating ageism and inspiring all generations to embrace life with joy.

Recently, like many in her community, Ladish faced severe damage to her charming Florida-style home as Hurricane Milton swept through the area. Upon discovering a large oak tree had crashed into her son’s bedroom, her initial reaction was one of shock. “When I saw the rubble and the tree in the room, it felt like a violation—like someone had come in and stolen from me,” she recalls. “It was as if nature was reminding us that we’re in its way.” But once the shock subsided, her creativity sparked. She began filming playful videos with the tree, adorning it with boots and gloves, dancing to cheerful music. “I knew I needed to transform this challenging situation into something positive,” she shares. “I asked my husband for help, saying, ‘I know you’re stressed, but let’s just have some fun before we crash and burn.’”

This whimsical approach turned out to be a fantastic stress reliever, and soon they found themselves going viral! The tree-dancing videos have amassed over 20 million views on Instagram and TikTok. “It’s not how I envisioned going viral,” she laughs, “but here we are!” Noticing that the tree had created a heart shape where it entered her home, Ladish mused, “I guess it’s the tree’s way of sharing love with us.”

On her Instagram page, Ladish reflects “I practice yoga and the real yoga is done off the mat, remembering that everything is fleeting and that having tools to cope with stress and using them is the only way to get through this thing called life.”

Pictured: Lorraine C. Ladish and her Milton tree have gone viral on social media. Photo courtesy of Lorraine C. Ladish.