I thought I was just going fishing with an old man I’d met by chance, but a letter I received months later revealed a secret that changed my life—and left me with a gift beyond my wildest dreams.
Living in a trailer with Mom wasn’t so bad. Dad left when I was six, and she worked long hours to keep us going, despite her limp from an old accident. One day, while playing outside, a fancy SUV pulled up. An old man stepped out, smiled, and made me a bet: if he knocked over the bottles I’d set up, I’d owe him a favor. He won, and the favor was simple—go fishing with him.
The next morning, we went to a quiet pond. As we fished, he told me about his son who’d passed away. He worked hard after that to ensure no one else he loved would suffer. I could see the pain in his eyes, but I tried to comfort him. We shared a moment of laughter when we fell into the water trying to reel in a fish. He thanked me, and I thought that was the end of it.
The next day, a package arrived from the old man—money for a new house, my mom’s medical care, and my education. Months later, I got a letter. He hadn’t survived heart surgery, but meeting me brought him peace, reminding him of his son.
Years later, as I watched my own kids play, I knew his gift wasn’t just the money—it was a reminder to never give up. And I never did.
Leave a Reply