Mom abandoned 1-month-old baby — then dad's FB post about accepting single parent life brought unexpected reactions

Life can take unexpected turns, and for Richard Johnson, his world changed when he became a single father overnight. In 2015, he shared his emotional journey on the Facebook page Life of Dad, revealing how he was left to navigate fatherhood alone. He began, "My name is Richard Johnson, and I'm a single father to a beautiful little girl named Persephone. Her mother left about a month after she was born. We still don't know exactly why, but we suspect post-partum depression played a part." The dad shared that in the first few weeks without the mom, he had a hard time fulfilling all the responsibilities and amid all the challenges, he chanced upon the FB page. "I was so nervous and scared about being a father in general, but now I was a single father and had to fulfill two roles. I wasn't sure I could do it."

Determined to become the best father he could, Richard threw himself into research. He wrote, "I had read every 'new parent' book I could find and clocked in over 1,000 hours in YouTube videos, on everything, from braiding hair and painting nails to theories on how to deal with common parental issues." Despite his fears, seeing other fathers in similar situations on the specific FB page gave him the confidence he needed. He wrote, "The page started to turn into a major confidence booster and really helped me through all of this." He concluded, "We've come a long way, my daughter and me, and we definitely owe part of that to this page and the people within it."

The response to his story was overwhelming, with over 90,000 likes and 6,000 comments, and people from around the world supported and encouraged him. Zach Wiesman said, "Way to step up and be a real man and an active father, Richard! Very, very proud of you, man!" Theressa B.C commented, "Keep on doing what you're doing. I often wish my father would have wanted to be a part of my life, but such is life." Tia Helter Yancey shared, "Great job sticking by your daughter's side. My father also raised me. My mother also left us. I'm now 47 years old, and I am so proud of my father."

Inspired by the impact of sharing his journey, Richard shared a follow-up post on his own Facebook page, The Johnson Family Experience. He thanked those who had supported him, writing, "A lot of you had requested updates on our journey and just to be informed about my enchanting little princess. So I am only happy to oblige." He also mentioned, "After our articles went viral, I have never felt more motivated to keep writing." Over the years, Richard continued documenting his life as a father. In a post from 2021, he reflected on how much had changed.

Richard shared how, despite challenges, he and Persephone had built something stronger than he ever expected. He wrote, "We chose joy, and we will never let go of it." He also shared that over the years, "we gained a mother/ partner and a sister/daughter. Then, we decided it was time to expand our family and welcome another little girl into the world." Richard continues to share updates about his life with his family on Facebook. In 2024, he also announced that he and his family would be launching a podcast, "Raising Superheroes," dedicated to guiding single parents as they raise the next generation.

You can follow Richard Johnson (The Johnson Family Experience) on Facebook for more updates about his family.