Father Leaves Daughter with Foster Family Because She Reminded Him of Her Late Mom – Story of the Day

A man who could not cope with the death of his wife was so heartbroken that he dropped two of their kids in foster care. His children would later be devastated to find out why they were abandoned.

Jane was only 11 years old when her mom, Lucy, passed on from cancer. At the time of Lucy’s death, her youngest son, Prince, had barely turned seven. It was a dark period for the grieving family.

John, their father, had long dreaded the day his wife would pass on. He knew it would come, but he held on to a false sense of hope that soon came crashing down, leaving his world shredded to pieces.

John did not deal with the death of his wife well enough for his kids | Source: Shutterstock

Like most grieving fathers, Lucy’s death was like a sharp knife that hastily divided John from the real world, including his little children that needed his assuring hug and presence more than anything else.

Rather than being present, John became submerged in his thoughts. Day after day, his presence in the house shrank and what used to be a house of laughter quickly turned into a home where words were scarce.

Seeing that her mom was no more and dad was no longer reliable, Jane bravely picked up the task of caring for her little brother and making sure the house was in order.

She would read him stories from their mother’s favorite children’s book, “A World Too Big,” and by the time she was done, she would have found success as her 7-year-old brother would share a cute smile that was hard to come by.

Jane bravely picked up the task of caring for her little brother and making sure the house was in order | Source: Pexels

Things soon began to get rough for the little kids left to fend for themselves. Their food supplies soon ran out, and since their dad was barely home and barely saw them, there was no way to refill them.

Jane resorted to asking their next-door neighbor, Jackson, for help. Jackson had three children and had pity on the surviving kids, but he soon became concerned that they were left to care for themselves.

One evening, social service workers arrived at John’s house, and a woman in a red velvet shirt calmly said to Jane and her brother, “you might have to come with us for a while until daddy sorts things out.”

In between tears, Jane said, “But I don’t want to go.” After a little pause, she looked at Prince, who sat on the sofa sobbing while holding the Spider-Man toy which their mom had bought for him the last Christmas they spent together

Jane did not want to leave with the social workers | Source: Pexels

“Can you promise that we will stay together?" she asked the social worker with her eyes fixed on Prince, waiting for reassuring words.

The social worker explained that she could not promise anything to the hopeful kids but assured she would do all she could to ensure they stayed together.

Jane tried to soften her brother’s heart and convince him to go to foster care. Finally, the siblings joined the social worker, hoping to be kept at the same foster home, but unfortunately, they were separated.

Being kept from Prince was the most heartbreaking experience Jane had ever had. Although her foster mom, Julie, was nice to her, she kept plotting her escape trying to reunite with her little brother.

The social worker explained to Jane that she could not promise that the two kids would stay together | Source: Pexels

“Jane, you can’t keep running,” Julie yelled one evening after the cops returned her home. She was found walking on the street, but from her worried looks, the officer knew she was a kid in distress.

Jane had grown used to being both a mom and dad to her brother, and being without him tore her little heart into a million pieces. She kept recalling their mother’s words to her: “You have to look out for your brother at all times.” Not being able to care for Prince made her feel like a failure.

The next morning after she tried to escape, Julie calmly said to Jane as she served her breakfast of juice and sandwich, “I put a call through to your social worker this morning and she told me Prince was placed in a great home. The family has another kid around his age and they seem to have bonded.”

“Why didn't you take him as well?” Jane asked with a tone that showed her disbelief. She was starting to lose trust in adults and found it difficult to believe Julie and Harry, her husband, cared so much as to inquire about Prince.

Jane's foster mom had put a call through to her social worker and she was told that Prince was placed in a great home | Source: Pexels

Giving her a gentle pat on the back, Julie calmly explained that she and Harry found it easier to handle older kids than Prince’s age, so it was a difficult choice to make. “Can you understand us?” she asked, hoping to get a positive response, but all she got was a cold nod.

Weeks had passed and Jane began to grow comfortable in her new home. Harry and Julie made sure she had all she needed. Soon, she felt like a part of the family but was still concerned over her brother’s comfort and safety.

She asked for his contact details, but her social worker declined. The only chance of meeting her brother was when they had become adults and could make their own choices. This was a heart-wrenching thought.

After a few years, Jane picked up a job as a receptionist in a local store. She was quiet but likable. Her customers had grown used to seeing her silent most of the time, but everyone was shocked when they heard her scream in surprise one evening.

Jane picked up a job as a receptionist in a local store | Source: Pexels

“ I can’t believe this!” she screamed as she suddenly recognized that the well-dressed customer was her younger brother, Prince. It had been ages since they last saw each other, and no one around could understand what the family reunion meant to the siblings.

“Jane, I have searched for you all over but I could not find you until someone mentioned that you worked here,” Prince said while clinging tightly to his sister. She sweetly relieved herself of his grip just to glance at how much he had grown.

The sibling began to catch up on lost time and decided to grab lunch. Jane could not wait to tell Prince all about her foster parents, who had become like family to her. When she asked Prince about his foster home, his disposition changed. It looked like he was asked a dreaded question.

Prince calmly said to his sister, “My foster experience is quite different from yours.” He continued, "At first, I was placed with a young couple who had a young son, but then, dad came back for me. He said he wanted his family back.”

John went back for Prince saying he wanted his family back | Source: Pexels

“Dad?” Jane asked in shock. “Yes, dad,” Prince replied. He explained that their dad wanted her to live with her foster parents since she was already happy.

“That's not true,” Jane said. “I never got to hear from dad all this while and not once did he call on my birthdays, so how did he know I was happy?” Jane asked, with a voice that showed her disappointment.

Calming his sister down, Prince said, “I know Jane, that that was not the truth. He finally told me why he never reached out to you.” Shocked, Jane grew curious to find out why their father had left her.

Prince explained between tears that their father had gone to pick Jane up from her foster home but seeing her reminded him of their late mom, and he was too heartbroken for such a reminder.

Prince explained to Jane that their father had gone to pick her up from her foster home but seeing her reminded him of their late mom | Source: Pexels

So the siblings went to the hospital where John was being treated, and he apologized to his daughter, acknowledged his mistakes, and asked if they could rebuild their relationship.

Jane left the room in tears as she found it difficult to forgive her dad or build a relationship with him. She helped Prince foot the bills for his treatment, but that was as far as she could go.

Years later, she became a mom, and her experience with her father taught her that family was important and should be kept close at all times.

Years later, Jane became a mom, and her experience with her father taught her that family was important | Source: Pexels

What can we learn from this story?

• Family is important. No matter the pain we go through, it is never enough to ditch your family. Grieving periods should unite families rather than break them apart.
• Family is where we find care. Family does not always have to be blood-related. Sometimes, we get the greatest of love from others, and it is very okay to open up and trust them if they have proved their worth.

Share this story with your friends. It might be what they need to reconnect with their happiness.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a boy who kept disappearing after school, and his mom followed him to find out where he goes.

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