Man got a call from late dad's phone. When he answered, it was a familiar comforting voice

Dealing with the loss of a loved one is never easy, and grief often resurfaces in unexpected ways. Sometimes, even the smallest, most mundane memory can trigger a flood of emotions. In those moments, people often struggle to navigate their feelings, but Dillon Michael White shared his personal story to help others cope. In an Instagram video, White recounted an experience that left him overwhelmed with emotions: a late-night call from his late father’s cell phone.

White described how it happened one evening after 9 p.m., an unusual time for him to receive calls. “All of a sudden, my phone goes off,” he explained. “I looked at my phone and, much to my surprise, it said, ‘Dad Cell.’” Initially confused, it only took a few seconds for the realization to sink in—his father had passed away three years ago.

Hesitantly, White decided to answer the call. “Very hesitantly, I answered, ‘Hello?’” he said, revealing that it was his mother on the other end of the line. She had kept his dad’s cell phone and continued paying the monthly bill.

The call hit White hard, bringing a surge of emotions. “Receiving a call from my dad’s phone and then being reminded of the reality that he’s no longer here was overwhelming,” he admitted. Reflecting on the moment, he shared the deep yearning that accompanied holding the phone, waiting to answer it. “As I was sitting there with the phone, waiting to slide it open and even afterward, the deep yearning that you feel,” he said, his voice heavy with emotion.

White also opened up about a long-standing fear he had carried. Growing up with a father who was significantly older, he was always scared of losing him at a young age—a fear that ultimately became reality. His story resonated deeply with viewers, offering a poignant reminder of the ways grief can surface unexpectedly and how those moments can connect us to cherished memories of those we’ve lost.

“When I was in college, I always had this fear. My dad was 50 when he had me. I was always scared of him dying when I was young,” White explained. He added how he’d go up to his dad’s face and check whether he was breathing when he was a kid. “It’s probably traumatic but yeah,” he said. White then shared what he learned about grief and coping with the same concerning the loss of a loved one. “I read this somewhere. When someone dies, the first memory that leaves you is the sound of their voice,” he said. He further mentioned how that statement stuck with him. “I have been saving voicemails from my dad ever since I was in college,” White said. These weren’t special voicemails or so, they were random.

“I remember there was one voicemail where the machine beeps and he’s like, ‘Oh, that’s how a phone works,’” White recalled, chuckling to himself. “That’s hitting a lot,” he said. White pointed out that it is equally important to voice and share grieving experiences to let people know that it’s okay and offer suggestions to cope with the same. “If you’re struggling, especially out of the blue, that’s okay, that happens,” White assured. He further added that the only way to deal with it is to “sit with it, feel it, grieve it.” “It certainly doesn’t just go away. Several people were grateful for White sharing his experience and his suggestions for the same. Many even shared their experiences and vented. @sammygirl75 said, “Lost my mom three years ago. Still haven’t listened to my saved voicemails. I just can’t yet.” @tamarapbutler said, “The deep yearning. I understand.”

You can follow Dillon Michael White (@dillonmichaelwhite) on TikTok for lifestyle-based content.

This article originally appeared 10 months ago.