Woman Receives An Emotional Letter & $50K From A Lady Who Dated Her Dad During Her Childhood — ‘For One Year, You Made Me Feel Like Part Of Your Family’
We never know the impact we have on someone's life.
cottonbro studio / Pexels We’re often told about the value of family and how important it is to stay close to the people who raised us so we can celebrate our victories, share in joyful moments, and come together when times are hard.
Yet our parents and relatives aren’t the only people who impact us, and sometimes, the effect we have on those who pass through our lives isn’t recognized until later.
A woman received an emotional letter and $50,000 from her dad’s ex-girlfriend after she passed away.
Jenny shared her story on the "Intoxicated Insights" podcast, explaining how she got a “random phone call” in 2004 from a woman in Utah. It turns out the woman was a bank manager, and she told Jenny that her dad’s ex-girlfriend passed away, leaving her and her brother $50,000.
But the woman left more than just an inheritance. She also wrote them a letter, which Jenny read out loud.
“I bet you both are asking yourself, who is she?” The letter began. Jenny noted that she remembered the woman saying, “That’s what’s so sad.”
“I met you and your father in 1986 when you were about 10 and 12 years old,” the letter continued. “You were both great kids. You were friendly and made me feel welcome in your lives.”
The woman shared her memories of Jenny as a young girl, saying, “You wanted to be an actress, and you wanted to own a pink Ferrari.”
“You won a little stuffed lion for me,” the woman wrote. “I still have it.”
“Jenny, when you went to camp, you made me a wall hanging out of a pie plate. I still have it, too,” she continued.
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“[We] had lots of fun times together,” the letter went on. “Do you remember me now? So, thanks for letting me be a part of your family, at least for a little while.”
“I never had any children of my own,” the woman revealed. “But for that one year, you made me feel like I was a part of your family.”
Jenny broke down in tears, taking a deep breath before she read on.
The woman’s posthumous expression of care and affection shows the immense value of family, even if that family isn’t biological, even if it’s impermanent.
Families aren’t solely the people we share genes with or the people we share a home with. Our families can be made up of the ones who show up for us, even if only for a fleeting moment.
The woman’s letter touched on those truths, highlighting the magic that can arise when someone enters your life and makes an unforgettable impact.
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Despite not having children of her own, the woman cherished the year she spent with Jenny’s family, paying that love forward after she passed away.
According to a 2023 report from the Stepfamily Foundation, over 50% of U.S. families involve adults who are remarried or re-coupled. 50% of the 60 million children under 13 years old live with a biological parent and that parent’s partner.
50% of all women, not only mothers, are likely to live in a stepfamily relationship.
The ties that bind us go beyond blood to the daily experience of sharing a life.
The woman revealed more about herself, writing, “I had a kidney transplant in 1992. This gift of life gave me many extra years so I can enjoy this amazing world.”
“I had a good life,” she exclaimed. “I would like to make your life a little easier and more secure.”
“I pray you both have wonderful lives,” the letter concluded before the woman signed her name: Shirley Norton.
“P.S.,” she added. “Jenny, please don’t buy a pink Ferrari. But if you really want one, buy it.”
No matter how Jenny spent her inheritance, the woman’s generous gift opened doors that had been closed, doors that Jenny could walk through, holding tight to a heartfelt memory she won’t ever forget.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture, and all things to do with the entertainment industry.