Man purchased a rare album online — it came with an unexpected note from the previous owner's mom
A simple online purchase turned into an emotional journey when a music collector received an album accompanied by a heartwarming note from the previous owner’s mother. The note, written by a woman named Sabine, revealed a deeply personal story behind the record’s origin. It turned what was supposed to be just another vinyl addition into a touching tribute to a son gone too soon. The note, carefully placed with the album offered a glimpse into the life of Mark, a passionate music lover who passed away in 2002. It was shared by a user, u/Almym, on Reddit.
Sabine, now in the process of sharing his collection with the world, used the sale as both a tribute to Mark and a way to support his son Kai’s education. "Dear Collector," her message began, "Just in case you want to know where this record is coming from — I am Mark's mother — Mark left us in 2002 — he suffered a heart attack at age 39 while running in the Oregon coastal mountains. The only consolation we have is that he died in a beautiful place doing what he loved most, running, music and of course his son, Kai (Mark was an ocean surfer)."
She went on to explain how Mark had collected thousands of albums and CDs during his college years. "I would ask him on occasion when he slipped all this music home (2000 CDs and over 600 vinyl), 'What do you want me to do with all this music if something should happen to you?' 'Listen to it, Mom,' he would say." Sabine admitted that while she had played a few records in her son's honor, she now felt it was time to share his collection with the world. She poured effort into researching, listing, and shipping each album, finding comfort in knowing that Mark’s love for music was continuing to spread. "It is good therapy for me to see this music being shared all over the world—and the money from it will go towards Kai’s education. Thank you for your support—and when you play it, play it loud for Mark!"
The story drew an emotional response from the online community. Many were moved by Sabine’s resilience and the beautiful way she chose to honor her son’s memory. u/Relax_Im_Hilarious commented, "We all grieve in our own way. I have no idea how I would console myself if I lost my son. Sabine is pretty amazing. RIP Mark and Rock on, Kai." u/PatsyBrownTown echoed, "What a beautiful way to honor both the music and the memory of her son." u/PuzzleheadedBobcat90 said, "I really didn't need to cry today, but I kinda needed to. This is such a beautiful way to remember Mark. Now anyone who reads this post will also remember him."
u/tauredi revealed "I know who these people are. Kai is now happily engaged. Wow. What an insanely small world." u/Altruistic_Lock_5362 praised Sabine, saying, "Not that mom is a class act. Wow. This woman did what few people would do. I applaud her." u/a_9x joked, "Knowing how collectors behave, Mark would be rolling in his grave seeing his mother sell his collection probably by 1/3 the price he bought them. RIP Mark, you are a legend."