Homeless Young Lady Doesn't Eat for a Week to Buy a Phone and Call Her Dad — Story of the Day

A homeless young woman chose not to eat for weeks to buy a cellphone to call her father. When her father finally saw her, he was surprised to see his daughter so thin and dark, wearing ragged clothes.

Nina married her boyfriend, Jim, after dating for a year. Soon after, they welcomed a baby boy. Nina was ecstatic with her married life, as Jim was a loving husband, and they lived in a beautiful home in a nice neighborhood.

After having their baby, she was convinced that her married life was perfect. Unfortunately, things would soon turn sour, as Jim asked her for a divorce.

"I think everything between us happened too quickly, Nina. I'm sorry, but we need to separate," her husband said as he stuffed his things into a suitcase.

"You're joking, right, Jim? You can't just pack your bags and go; we have a two-year-old son!" Nina begged, unable to process what was happening.

Nina was distraught after Jim left her and their two-year-old son. | Photo: Pexels

"That's exactly why I want to leave. I'm tired of taking care of you and the child. I want to do things for myself and live life the way I want. And for the record, I've found someone who finally understands what I'm going through. So please, let me go."

Nina, still shaking, begged him to stay one more time. "Let's sit down and talk about this properly, Jim. These decisions should not be made abruptly."

All Jim did was shake his head, saying, "I've made up my mind. The divorce papers will be sent via mail."

After Jim left the room, Nina fell to the ground, crying. They were a happy family for many years, and there were no signs that Jim was unhappy. Now, she was lost, with no idea what she would do as a single mother.

Nina and Jim were a happy couple for years before their separation. | Photo: Pexels

Jim left her and their two-year-old son Jack with no money and pending bills to pay. Their apartment rent was due in two weeks, and since she lived as a housewife during their relationship, she had no job.

Nina went looking for jobs, but not many agreed to hire her. Those who did told her she wouldn't be able to advance her salary for their rent.

Two weeks passed, and their landlady showed up asking for the rent. Nina begged, explaining what she had gone through. However, her cries fell on deaf ears.

Nina's landlady kicked her and Jack out of the house. | Photo: Pexels

The landlady kicked her out and even went so far as to call Social Services, who took Jack with them. "I'm sorry, Jack. I love you with my whole heart. I will come back for you, I promise," she said as her son tearfully left with the social workers.

Nina ended up spending her first night on the street, saving every penny she had after selling all of her things. She sold her wedding ring, her diamond earrings, and even the cellphone she had. She only ate once for the next couple of days, saving up for a plane ticket.

She planned to abduct her son Jack from the orphanage he was in and take him to a different city where they could start anew. However, her plans changed one night as she sat by a traffic light.

Nina was left homeless after Jim left her and Jack. | Photo: Shutterstock

While begging for money, she overheard a father and daughter conversing. The girl asked her dad for some dessert, and her dad said no, saying they'd get it next time because it was cold and she'd get sick.

Their conversation made Nina cry as she remembered her own dad. Dad, I wish I didn't fight you over Jim. You were right all along; he wasn't the right man for me. I'm sorry for letting our relationship go to waste over him.

Nina was only 18 when she met Jim for the first time. Her father, Edgar, did not accept their relationship from the beginning. He even warned Nina that he knew Jim was not the right man for her.

Nina begged for money on the streets for days. | Photo: Shutterstock

"If your mom were still alive, she would tell you the same thing, Nina. Would you please listen to me and leave him? You will find someone better," he once advised. However, Nina was too in love with Jim that she shut her father out of her life and moved to a different city with Jim.

Nina couldn't help but sob after realizing her father was right all along. She wanted to speak to him so badly, but she remembered she had sold her phone.

In the end, she chose not to eat for a week to save up for a phone. When the store manager saw her reeking of odor, he kicked her out. Thankfully, he had a kind assistant, who gave Nina a second-hand phone in exchange for the money she had.

Nina purchased a second-hand phone from a store assistant. | Photo: Shutterstock

Nina's hands shook as she dialed her dad's phone number. Many thoughts were running through her head. Will he pick up? How will I contact him if he changed his number? He might not pick up if it's from an unknown caller.

Her worries soon disappeared when her father picked up the call. "Hello? Who is this, please?" the voice on the other end said.

Nina burst into tears upon hearing her father's voice. "Dad, it's me. I'm sorry, dad."

"Nina, honey? Is it really you? Don't you worry about a thing. I'm so happy you called. How are you?" he asked.

Nina would always be Edgar's little girl in his eyes. | Photo: Pexels

"Dad, can you please come to see me? I need your help," she said in-between tears.

"What's wrong, honey? Did Jim do something?"

"Please just come as soon as you can, dad, and I promise to tell you everything," Nina said.

Without hesitation, Edgar booked the next flight out to see his daughter. Upon exiting the airport, he was gutted to see his daughter so thin, frail, and dark.

"Honey, what happened?" he asked her.

"Can we talk somewhere else, dad? I'm cold." Upon hearing Nina, Edgar removed his coat to give to her. They booked a room at a nice hotel, and for the first time in weeks, Nina took a warm shower and wore warm clothes.

Edgar flew to his daughter on the next flight available. | Photo: Pexels

When the room service Edgar ordered arrived, Nina pounced on it, bringing him to tears. He could not believe what his daughter had gone through, and it was clear she had not eaten in days.

After eating dinner, Nina told him the whole story of what had happened in the past couple of days. She apologized to her dad for not listening to him, saying, "Dad, I should have listened to you. I wish I had not eloped with that terrible man."

Edgar shook his head and hugged her. "It's alright, honey. I'm grateful you called me. You don't have to worry about anything now."

Edgar and Nina were reunited after years. | Photo: Pexels

The next day, Nina and Edgar filed paperwork to get Jack back. As soon as the process was complete, they flew to Los Angeles. It was then that he hired a private detective to hunt Jim down.

In the end, Edgar discovered that Jim was having an affair with his boss's daughter when he left Nina and Jack. It turns out Jim lied about being single, and his boss ended up finding out that he left his wife and child for his daughter.

Edgar was left homeless after his decisions in life | Photo: Pexels

He was immediately fired from the company and was forced to live life on the streets as a homeless man after the company refused to pay him. After finding out, Edgar was glad that Jim was punished for what he did. He was now at peace, knowing the man didn't get away with ruining his daughter and grandson's lives.

What can we learn from this story?

• Your parents only want what's best for you. While sometimes we'd like to go our own way, Nina would not have suffered so much if she had listened to her father.
• What goes around comes around. You can't avoid karma. While Jim thought his life would be peaceful after ditching Nina and Jack, he ended up homeless, too.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a man who chose his dog over a home and much-needed surgery.

This account is inspired by our reader's story and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.