For Portia Moore and her family, a quiet spring morning stroll beneath Washington D.C.’s famous cherry blossoms turned into a memory of a lifetime—thanks to a surprise appearance by none other than former President Barack Obama.
It all happened at the Tidal Basin, where Moore, along with her daughter Belle and 20-month-old son Preston, were in the middle of a family photo session. As the kids posed sweetly under the blooming trees and their photographer, Briana Inell, snapped away, Moore was doing what most moms would: keeping a close eye on her toddler.
“I was just trying to make sure Preston didn’t dive into the water,” Moore laughed, recounting the moment to NBC4 Washington. “He’s still figuring out the whole walking and balance thing.”
What she didn’t notice, at least not immediately, was the figure strolling quietly behind them—baseball cap on, sunglasses, hands in pockets.
“My husband suddenly says, ‘That’s Obama!’ And I didn’t even register it at first,” she said. “I thought he was joking. I was just focused on my son.”
But he wasn’t joking. When the commotion settled and the family regrouped, Moore did what any modern-day mom would do—she checked the camera roll.
“I was like, ‘Wait, did we get a picture of that?!’ And Briana started scrolling and there he was,” Moore said, still beaming. “It was perfect.”
In the frame: Belle and Preston, sweetly unaware. And in the background, strolling by like a scene out of a movie—President Obama.
For Inell, who regularly photographs families among the blossoms each year, this was a one-in-a-million capture.
“Usually, I’m spending a good amount of time editing tourists out of the background,” she said. “But this is one guest who’s definitely staying in the shot.”
As the story made the rounds on social media, the former president himself caught wind of the buzz. Ever the good sport, Obama left a light-hearted comment on Instagram: “Preston and Belle, I hope you enjoyed peak bloom! My bad for stepping into the shot.”
He even shared a few of his own cherry blossom photos, proving he was just enjoying the bloom like everyone else.
For Moore, the unexpected photobomb turned into a treasured moment—and maybe even the start of a fun family tradition.
“If I could tell him anything, I’d say: same time, same place, next year,” she joked. “We’ll be there.”
Because sometimes, life gifts you more than beautiful photos—it gives you stories you’ll tell forever.
