Daughter writes heartfelt note for Dad after knowing he isn't her biological father

Family isn’t always about shared DNA. The love between non-biological parents and their children is proof that true bonds go beyond blood. Whether it's an adopted, foster, or stepchild, some good-hearted parents make sure their kids feel loved and cherished, no matter the circumstances. One such dad, who goes by u/WTAF_Republicans on Reddit, loved his daughter with all his heart, even after discovering he wasn’t her biological father. But he’d always wondered how she felt about him—until a recent journal entry from his daughter gave him the reassurance he needed. 

In his Reddit post, the dad explained how he found out he wasn’t his daughter’s biological father and divorced his wife soon after. "But the biological dad was in prison and wanted nothing to do with my daughter. He also had his other kids taken by CPS. So my daughter still needed a dad," he pointed out. His love for the little child made him feel he had to raise the girl as his own. "I took mom to court and was awarded 50% physical and legal custody, despite not being her biological father. Mom kept making bad decisions. So a couple of years ago, I wound up with majority physical and legal custody because I was the only stable parent," he added. 

When his daughter turned 9, he decided to tell her the truth with the help of a child counselor. "She just kind of shrugged it off and moved on. It's been a mystery to me how she feels about the situation and us being kind of a weird little family that isn't like a lot of other families," the uncertain dad said. But recently, he found a note in his daughter's journal which reassured him in the best way possible that his daughter, a 9-year-old, loves him. The child's note read, "I have my best person to me sitting right next to me. His name is Dada. He has the best personality. He's the best dad I could wish for in the whole world. If I could pick a dad, it would be my dad that I have right now."

In one of the comments, the dad explained that he has always been her legal dad, as her birth certificate had his name on it. However, when the truth was out, he realized that he was her step-parent, which changed a lot of things. "It's different as a step-parent. You have very few rights in a divorce, unfortunately," he mentioned. After all the sacrifices he made so his daughter could have a stable and happy childhood, reading this note in her journal was like a breath of fresh air for him. This note brought happy tears to the dad, who had to fight meticulously to get her custody. 

People were so touched by the dad's post and his daughter's wholesome note. "Family is more than blood. Family is made up of people who show up for you every single day," said u/circa285. "Awful things can happen when neither parent has it together and no one else cares enough to step up. Happy that you both have each other and that she didn’t slip through the cracks," commented u/KAY-toe. "As a stepdad to a little angel, since she was 1, that little girl of yours is the luckiest in the world to have you.

Hats off to you for being so awesome," added u/WhoaBlueCar.