Poor Boy Helped an Old Man Fulfill His Dream and Had No Idea His Life Would Change the Next Day
At 13, living in a rundown trailer with Mom, who struggled with a limp from a past accident, I met an old man by chance. He challenged me to a game: if he knocked down my bottle-pins, I’d fish with him. He won, and we went fishing at a secluded pond. There, he shared how he’d fished there with his son, who died young because he couldn’t afford surgery. His grief mirrored my life’s struggles, but I encouraged him, saying his son was watching from heaven.
We caught a huge fish, falling into the pond in the process, laughing together. Months later, his assistant delivered a package: enough money for a house, Mom’s medical care, and my college education. A letter arrived soon after, revealing he’d died after heart surgery. He wrote that I’d given him peace, reminding him of his son, and left me everything to chase my dreams.
Fifteen years later, I stood on the porch of the home I built for Mom, now pain-free, watching my kids play. His gift wasn’t just money—it was a lesson to never give up. I feel him watching, proud of the life I’ve built.
