NEW YORK — For more than 50 years, "Sesame Street" has been bringing joy to generations while also educating them about important life lessons.
Back in January, Sesame Street resident Elmo posted on social media, asking the internet a simple question.
"Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing?" the character wrote on X, the platform previously known as Twitter, and on Threads.
The post got a major reaction. On X alone, it received more than 217 million views and more than 15,000 reposts, 45,000 quote posts and 165,000 likes, in addition to a rush of emotional replies from users of all ages.
Even President Joe Biden weighed in after Elmo later followed up with another post, saying, "Wow! Elmo is glad he asked! Elmo learned that it is important to ask a friend how they are doing. Elmo will check in again soon, friends! Elmo loves you. #EmotionalWellBeing"
Now, with the start of Mental Health Awareness Month, Elmo has continued his campaign for mental wellness with a conversation with Good Morning America co-host Robin Roberts.
Elmo told Roberts he was really surprised by the reaction his post received.
"Some people were feeling really happy. Some of them were having a hard time," Elmo said.
Roberts also spoke with Dr. Rosemarie Truglio from Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit tied to "Sesame Street."
"We know there's a mental health crisis, and it's important for us to express our feelings," Truglio said. "We're meeting the needs of kids today. We wanted to make sure our stories and our resources are there to help children and their circle of care."
Sesame Workshop is offering new emotional wellbeing resources, including strategies aimed at children who feel overwhelmed and the introduction of Sofia the Feelings Helper, Sesame Street's very own social worker.
Good Morning America contributed to this report.