Heartbroken daughter left a voicemail on late dad’s number. An unexpected reply made her sit up straight
After accidentally texting the teen, the woman received a response with a bittersweet empathy.
It is often said we should keep the memory of our loved ones alive by talking to them as if they were still here. A woman named Audrey, who had been grieving the loss of her father, decided to do this by leaving a voicemail on her late dad’s phone number.
In a post shared on Instagram Threads on March 18, Audrey revealed that she was drunk and, in all her grief, called her dad and left a message. While she didn’t reveal what she had said, she mentioned that the stranger to whom the number now belonged got back with a heartfelt message. It was soothing in its own beautiful way.
The message was from the parent of an 11-year-old boy. She mentioned that her son was currently using the number that belonged to Audrey’s dad. As soon as he learned that it used to be her late dad’s contact, something immediately stirred his little heart. “My son was touched by your voicemail and told me how sad he is for you,” the mom wrote. This sadness didn’t come just from sympathy; it came from a different, poignant empathy. 5 years ago, the teenager lost his dad, too, and resonated with the pain Audrey was experiencing. “He’s almost 12 and didn’t know how to respond to you,” the mom wrote.
She assured her son that she’d speak to the person on the other end of the voicemail. And so she reached out to Audrey with one statement that made a strong impact. “If you ever need someone to talk to, please reach out,” the mom said. In a comment, the young woman revealed that she did reach out. She learned that the boy’s mother was a 911 dispatcher, and they undoubtedly had a heartfelt conversation, honoring two wonderful souls. “I’m so grateful to have met them accidentally,” she said. A study revealed that in 2015, around 2.5 million adolescent children lost at least one of their parents.
In the United States, 1 in 14 children is likely to experience the loss of a parent before they reach the age of 18. Data from Boston University revealed that as of 2019 – 2021, 8 million children under the age of 18 have lost one parent. Around 4% of children up to 17 have lost one parent. Author Ziming Xuan, who surveyed 21,000 children, noted, “Childhood parental death is a major traumatic experience that significantly increases the risk of other adverse outcomes.”
Speaking to Teen Vogue, Dr. Alison Forti, an assistant professor in the Department of Counseling at Wake Forest University, noted, “Speaking out loud to a loved one who has passed — whether at a grave site or out loud at home — is helpful for many people processing grief.” She added that she encourages her clients to talk to an empty chair to cope better.
“By encouraging people to speak out loud to their loved ones, it helps them resolve that disbelief,” she remarked. For Audrey, leaving that voicemail helped her get her pain and feelings out of her mind. And to have someone who shared the same pain respond to her ensured she didn’t feel alone. It’s the kind of assurance anyone mourning a loved one craves. @ktjwood wrote, "The kindness of a stranger is Top Tier Humanity. So sorry for your loss, but glad you wound up accidentally texting the right person.” @brianna97k remarked, “What a lovely stranger! I think you just made a lifetime friend.”
You can follow Audrey (@fkn_audrey) on Instagram Threads for more content on family and lifestyle.
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Heartbroken daughter kept sending messages to her late dad's old number — and then, she got a reply
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