She texted late dad’s phone every day—after 4 years, an unexpected response from grieving father caught her off guard
Coping with grief is a very different and unexpected thing to do. We keep the memory of our loved ones alive by including them in our everyday lives even after they’re gone. People do this by visiting cemeteries every day, making an extra cup of tea or coffee, as they used to for their loved ones, or even sending them text messages. A young woman named Chastity Patterson had been filling the void after her father’s death by continuing to text him every day, The Daily Mail reported. She’d share everything with her late dad via texts, even though she knew she would no longer get a reply. To her surprise, one day, she received a response and it was bittersweet yet precious.
Patterson lost her dad years ago and when his 4th death anniversary was approaching, she wrote him a heartfelt message about how she felt. Sharing a screenshot on her social media, the woman revealed how she explained to her dad about how painful it was to lose him. “Hey Dad, it's me. Tomorrow is going to be a tough day again!” the grieving woman said. She revealed how the four years had gone by with beating cancer, graduating with honors and so much more. Through it all, “not a day goes by that I don’t miss you,” she wrote. She also mentioned her love life, friends, her mum, and how she had been giving it her best every day, just like he wanted her to.
She concluded her message by saying, “I just wanted to tell you I love you and I miss you.” Patterson didn’t expect to receive a response. She hoped her dad had been listening and watching over her. To her surprise, her poignant message received a priceless response. It didn’t come from Patterson’s deceased father but it came from a stranger who knew how profound a father-daughter bond was and who was familiar with grief. The man’s name was Brad. He had lost his daughter in an accident a few years ago and had been holding a similar void inside of him.
He confessed that he had been receiving Patterson’s messages for quite some time and started looking forward to them. “Your messages kept me alive. When you text me, I know it's a message from God,” he wrote. Responding to her heartbreaking message to her father, Brad said, “I'm sorry you lost someone so close to you, but I have listened to you over the years and I have watched you grow and go through more than anyone.” He added that though he wanted to reveal himself earlier, he didn’t want to break her heart. However, with texts from over the years, it felt like their losses brought them to an unexpected bond.
“You are an extraordinary woman and I wish my daughter had become the woman you are,” the dad wrote. He noted that Patterson’s loving texts were a reminder that “there is a God and it wasn't his fault that my little girl is gone.” Through their messages, they both found some comfort and healing. Brad concluded the message saying, “I'm sorry you have to go through this but if it makes it any better, I am very proud of you.” He added that he is earnestly looking forward to these little updates that are a hope and light.