TikTok's Mama Lulu reflects on time as a nursing assistant

Mama Lulu looked back on the times she took on various jobs to support her family.

On Facebook, TikTok's favorite mom shared a throwback photo from when she worked as a nursing assistant.

"I do miss those days sometimes. I had to think about money for my husband's dialysis and my children but it was rewarding," Mama Lulu said in her caption.

According to Mama Lulu, she worked retail part-time when she moved from the Philippines to the US.

"A co-worker who became my best friend referred me to work at the department of labor in San Francisco. I pretended I knew how to type. Fake it until you make it. Unfortunately, 9/11 happened. I got laid off," Mama Lulu added.

"So I thought, why not become what I always wanted to do?"

With this, Mama Lulu studied again to get her certification to become a nursing assistant.

"I relied on my unemployment checks for my tuition fee. Just imagine 30 plus years of being a housewife and catering food. It was a tough change. I was a single mom in a foreign country," she said.

Instead of moving up as a registered nurse, Mama Lulu chose to become a caregiver mostly for hospice patients.

Eventually, her husband passed away and her body gave up, so she had to stop working.

"Regardless of the challenges, I wouldn't change the experience for anything," Mama Lulu said.

Mama Lulu and her children are best known for their wholesome and humorous family content showcasing relatable Filipino humor that resonates with their 17.6 million TikTok followers.

In 2025, Mama Lulu touched hearts with her emotional reaction of returning to the Philippines after 18 years.

While in the country, Mama Lulu visited her favorite food spot in Manila, traveled to Tagaytay to eat bulalo, reunited with her friends, and visited Manaoag Church.

She is also a big fan of BTS.

—Nika Roque/MGP, GMA News