Middle schooler has her back-to-school picture photobombed by an unexpected guest

Recently, a school photo shoot in Auburn, Alabama, took an unexpected turn when a young girl got an uninvited guest in her picture.

Brooke Mills, a seventh-grader, was getting ready for the new school year with a back-to-school photo, a tradition her mother, ShaneJoy Mills, lovingly continued.

The start of a new academic year is always a memorable occasion, marking the end of summer and the beginning of new challenges and opportunities. For parents, it’s a time filled with mixed emotions—pride in their child’s growth and nostalgia for the fleeting days of their youth.

When I was young, my mom would always snap a photo as I started a new grade. At the time, it felt tedious and sometimes embarrassing. But now, I see the value in those pictures—they capture milestones, growth, and the special moments of a child’s educational journey.

However, for ShaneJoy Mills, this year’s back-to-school photo session took a surprising twist. At first, everything seemed normal—Brooke posed cutely for her pictures. But when ShaneJoy reviewed the photos, she was stunned to spot something unusual.

“Lord, it was scary!” ShaneJoy recalled. “I took two pictures, asked Brooke to smile, and then I saw the snake.” She shared her shock with WRBL, explaining, “I told Brooke to come over, thinking I was done with the photos. I calmly said, ‘Brooke, get away from the tree now.’ But I’m sure my face revealed my alarm.”

The snake, which had apparently just eaten, was well camouflaged against the tree bark and wasn’t immediately noticeable. It was later identified by commenters as a rat snake on the Facebook post that went viral.

The post has since been shared hundreds of times, and thankfully, the only thing the snake wanted to “strike” was a pose in this unexpected back-to-school photo!

As Brooke heads into seventh grade, it looks like she had a rather unusual companion for her first day. What would you have done in ShaneJoy and Brooke’s situation? Share your thoughts in the comments!