Stepdad vowed to stay sober on each New Year's Eve. 30 years later, he shares the adorable reason why

While the rest of the world is busy partying, a father patiently waits by his phone, anticipating a single ring on every New Year's Eve. Well, we're talking about Natali Simmonds' (@njsimmondsbooks on X) stepfather, who left drinking on zero nights for a very specific reason and continues to abide by it even after almost thirty years. The author revealed his heartfelt reason in a Twitter post.

Simmonds, an author by profession, was only eighteen when her stepfather decided to stop drinking on New Year's Eve. As a doting father, he was worried that his kids' partying outside might need him during an emergency and that he couldn't risk being drunk. So, since then, he had remained sober, anticipating calls from his children, including his stepdaughters, in case they ever needed a lift home. "I'm 47 now, and he's still 'on call' tomorrow night — this time for his grandchildren," Simmonds explained. Interestingly, since the first year, none of his kids has ever called him, but the father still waits at home, sober, just in case his kids need him.

In a follow-up post, Simmonds shared that her stepfather and her birth father are great friends, and she is lucky to have them in her life. Moreover, she shared that her doting husband, just like her stepfather, now waits to pick up his kids after their celebration with friends. "Tonight is the first time my eldest is out in London with friends, so my husband is also on call (he has been sober 6 years), and my stepdad is back up," she added.

While special occasions like New Year's Eve, prom nights, etc., are meant for celebrating with the closest ones, many, especially young adults, take the opportunity to engage in illegal activities. In fact, a survey (by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Students Against Destructive Decisions) of almost 2,300 teen drivers revealed that 10% of participants had confessed to having driven under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Apart from zero nights, participants admitted to taking the wheel while intoxicated at other events, including prom nights (6%) and graduation ceremonies (4%). Looking at the horrifying situation, it's easy to understand why Simmonds' stepfather, as well as her husband, remains extra worried for their kids on every New Year's Eve.

People were left teary-eyed reading about the sweet dad's New Year's Eve tradition. @edgs1803 said, "I hope all of you call him tomorrow night. He's waiting for a call in case someone he loves needs his help. Maybe if everyone he loves calls to tell him you're just calling to say you love him, he will be the richest man with the fullest heart. It will be a fantastic way to end the year." @kayloni wrote, "This is the most precious, wholesome thing I've read all year."

You can follow Natali Simmonds (@njsimmondsbooks) on X for lifestyle content.

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