Community Celebrates Beloved Mail Carrier's Final Day with a Gathering that Makes Her 'Tear Up' (Exclusive)

Maria Smith Agustin worked delivering mail in Jessica Harris' neighborhood in South Carolina for 24 of her 33 years in the industry.

Harris, 33, first met Agustin when she was living with her parents and was around 9 or 10 years old. She recalls how Agustin always made a point of having lollipops for the kids, treats for the pups and a friendly smile for anyone who met her at the mailbox.

Around two years ago, Harris, now a data analyst, moved back to the same street with her husband and two kids. Since then, she has reconnected with Agustin and shared her relationship with her family. "Maria’s visits have always been a daily highlight for the street," the mom tells PEOPLE exclusively.

Not long ago, Harris learned that Agustin was retiring, and she and other neighbors knew they had to help her celebrate. Leading up to her last day, which was on a Friday, the neighbors collected money for a gift for Agustin. With the money, a few people went to the neighboring town (where Agustin lives) and purchased gift cards to local eateries.

"Another neighbor bought a large card for everyone to sign," Harris says. "Another neighbor bought balloons and décor, then decorated the mailboxes."

When Agustin's final day arrived, Harris and her neighbors all gathered in one of the front yards and waited for her to walk her final route. Harris captured the moment on camera and later posted it to TikTok where it went viral, amassing more than 80,000 views and hundreds of comments.

"As a mail carrier, I’m absolutely bawling. This appreciation will forever be remembered," one user commented on the post.

"My husband works for USPS and I would sob if this happened to him! So thoughtful," someone else wrote.

Another user said, "I ran into the mail carrier from my childhood the other day. Instantly started crying. They’re such an important fixture in our community!"

"Sharing kindness is always a good idea," Harris says, reflecting on the video. "I’m glad that TikTok recognized the gesture and shared the sentiment. The comment section on the video is something that warms my heart."

"Maira loved the celebration," the mom adds. "She began reading the card while we were all there and had to stop as she was beginning to tear up."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The mom adds how most of her neighbors who participated in the sendoff are not on TikTok. So when she told them about the video and the attention that it was getting, they were all giddy. One person even downloaded the app and was reading all the comments to some of the other neighbors.

"I hope that people who viewed the video are inspired to create and grow their relationship with their mail person and neighbors," Harris says. "Community is important and maintaining and nurturing those relationships is good for the soul."