12-year-old dies suddenly–then her heartbroken parents find a special letter she wrote to her future self

Losing a child is an unimaginable heartbreak, a pain no parent should ever have to endure. Mary Ellen and Tim Smith endured that pain too soon when their 12-year-old daughter, Taylor, passed away suddenly. But amid their grief, they found a glimmer of hope in a heartfelt letter Taylor had written to her future self. Taylor, from Johnson City, Tennessee, died suddenly in January 2014 due to complications from pneumonia. Just days earlier, she had been active and full of life after returning from a church mission trip. But the illness progressed quickly, and despite medical efforts, she passed away, leaving her family in shock, per Independent.

While sorting through her belongings, her parents came across an envelope marked, "To be opened by Taylor Smith on April 13, 2023, only unless said otherwise." It was a letter she had written to her future self, meant to be opened on her 22nd birthday. Instead, her parents unfolded it nearly a decade early, reading words their daughter never got the chance to see. Inside, Taylor congratulated her future self on graduating high school and encouraged herself to keep striving for her goals.

She wrote, "If you didn’t, go back and keep trying. Get that degree!" She also included lighthearted questions about her favorite things, writing, "Is Doctor Who still on the air? If not, what regeneration did they end it with? You should go watch some Doctor Who! Later, though, you gotta finish reading your own words of wisdom! Have you been to Dollywood recently? Right now, their newest attraction is the Wild Eagle. It's so fun!" She also wondered about her goals and asked, "Do you have your own place yet? If we’re in college, what are we majoring in? Right now, I want to be a lawyer." She even included a drawing of an iPad, telling her future kids, "We’re older than the tablet!"

Her letter was playful and profound, with her faith as a central part. She wrote, "Have you prayed, worshiped, read the Bible, or gone to serve the Lord recently? If not, get up and do so NOW!" She ended her letter with a simple but powerful message and wrote, "It’s been 10 years since I wrote this. Stuff has happened, good and bad. That’s just how life works, and you have to go with it." For her parents, reading Taylor’s words was bittersweet. Her father, Tim, decided to share the letter on Facebook, hoping her words would resonate with others. In an interview, Tim said, "I just want people to know just what an awesome, awesome person she was," per TODAY.

Although the original post was later deleted on Facebook, Taylor’s letter has since been shared across social media, touching the hearts of many. Many parents reached out to the Smith family, saying her words reminded them to cherish every moment with their children. Others who had lost loved ones found comfort in Taylor’s message. Her mother, Mary Ellen, reflected on the impact her daughter’s words left. She said, "[We've got] letters from lots of parents who've said it's encouraged them to love their kids and love each other. I can’t physically resurrect her; I can’t bring her back, but I’m so grateful people have been inspired by her story."