Retiring mailman's heartfelt letter to residents leaves the internet in tears

Writing a letter has become a lost art. Nowadays, we usually receive bills or notices in the mail, making handwritten letters rare and heartwarming. In 2015, a mailman's emotional letter to the residents he served went viral. Shared by u/g3tyasum on Reddit, the letter from "Mike, the mailman" detailed his experiences and announced his last day of service.

The mailman, who worked for over two decades with the U.S. Postal Service, wrote, "It is with a heavy heart that I announce my retirement from the US Postal Service. Twenty years have seemingly flown by." He added, "It has been a privilege and a pleasure to have been your letter carrier for the past four years. Many of you have been with me that long, some have not. I have enjoyed getting to know you and hope that I have provided a service to your liking. I have seen many changes over the years and have enjoyed and endured all of the triumphs and heartaches. I will miss all of you as you have seemed like a second family to me." 

His expression of love for the residents was already a rollercoaster of emotions. When he further added a little bit about his personal life, it was quite tear-jerking. "I lost my wife of 42 years in September 2014, but I know she would agree that it is time to close this chapter and start a new one. My last day will be September 30, 2015. I do sincerely wish you and yours, all the best," he wrote, ending his letter. Sharing a picture of this letter, the Reddit user mentioned, "For as long as I have lived in my house, always thought the Mailman was very nice. He put this in the mailbox. Reminds me that there are good, warm people in all walks of life."

With over 33,000 upvotes and more than 1,300 comments, this post went viral. "Give him a gift basket or something. Mug with 'World's Best Mailman.' Or at least write him a card back. The fact that he took the time to handwrite you a letter is just so old school and so nice. He deserves acknowledgment. Not to mention that he's obviously amazing at his job," lauded u/nontal. "It's warming to know that we are all connected in incredible ways and we are all stronger for it. I think you should leave him a short note and a small tip," suggested u/profBS. "That brought a tear to my eye. Good people still live among us," added u/bigterry.

Speaking of handwritten letters, a fourth-grader's heartwarming note to neighbors asking if he could walk their dog also deserves mention. Shared by the Instagram page of the neighbor's dog, Arthur the Floof (@arthurthefloof), this letter stole many hearts online. "Hello neighbors, my name is Troy, I'm in 4th grade and I'm just wondering if maybe after this virus you need a dog sitter and if so, I can take your dog on walks and more," the little boy wrote. Just as he wished, a playdate was set up for the boy and Arthur to bond and it turned out to be a cheerful time for the duo.