Dad's heart breaks after finding letters late estranged daughter wrote to him over the years — but never sent

A father who goes by u/bumblebeesouthern775 on Reddit couldn't stop crying when he finally discovered the "unsent letters" from her daughter, whom he tragically lost in a car accident. The emotional post shared in July 2025 has now gone viral, with people, especially those with similar experiences, consoling the grieving dad with heartfelt messages.

The man was not in touch with his daughter for five years before she passed away. Being in a divorced set-up, he had moved on and formed a new family after his daughter said she didn't want him in her life. "I never stopped loving her for a single minute, but I never approached her to show her that her boundaries matter, and I was willing to wait for her to come back on her own, even if it took decades," the dad confessed. However, before they could sort out their differences, the man woke up to his biggest nightmare. Two weeks before he wrote the post, his daughter passed away in a tragic car accident. When he returned to the office after a bereavement leave, his ex came over and handed him a folder filled with letters that his beloved daughter had written to him. "I've been sobbing nonstop for four hours now. I myself used to write her a lot of letters and messages that I’d just throw away," he shared. 

When he began reading the letters, he found out that his daughter regretted her decision to cut him out of her life. Besides, she also confessed how she wished to reunite with her dear father, meet his new wife and kids, and go on a trip with him. "She was wondering if I still love her and think about her like she does, and she wrote about wanting to become a lawyer like me and that she was studying law and was wondering if I would be proud of her," the man wrote. Moving on, his deceased daughter had also mentioned her ex-boyfriend cheating on her. "She wished I were there, and she was clearly crying because there were stains on the letter, and that just broke my heart in a way that I didn’t know was possible," he added. There isn't anything easy about losing a child, but sadly, countless people go through the pain almost every single day. According to the National Library of Medicine, child loss can have long-term effects on parents. "For parents, the dissolution of the attachment relationship with the child elicits severe anxiety and other negative emotions associated with loss," writes J Bowlby. 

In a study examining grieving parents, researchers found more depressive symptoms and more health problems in those who have lost their kids, as compared to those who have not. "Parents might also experience guilt about having been unable to protect the child," claim the authors of 'Death and trauma: The traumatology of grieving'. Reacting to the post, u/ok_text3676 commented, "From one parent of an angel to another, I'm so sorry for your loss. The what-ifs and self-doubt sadly never seem to stop. But, please don't be too hard on yourself. I know right now everything is cloudy, but hold on, brother. After every storm comes a rainbow. Much love to you." Echoing the sentiments, u/lonely-homework9071 pointed out, "If she truly did doubt that you loved her. She would not have written you these letters. Trust someone who has a dad but who wouldn’t find any letters."

Similarly, u/vonsass confessed, "I am so sorry; as I sit here, the tears are just streaming down my face. I’ve been estranged from my daughter for 11 years. I really didn’t know if I’d be able to go on. Year after year after year. I honored her space and gave her time, and like you, even if it took decades, I was waiting. I don’t think a reunion will ever happen, and I can’t imagine your grief knowing that it won’t. I wish you had those extra 10 minutes, too. Sending you the biggest hug possible. I’m so, so sorry!"