Stepdad Left Daily Notes of Encouragement for Daughter, 6 Years Later She Gives Them Back to Him
Father’s Day comes but once a year. Retail stores are flooded with mugs that say “World’s Best Dad,” and novelty aprons perfect for any grilling connoisseur line the shelves.
But there are 364 other generally normal days — days that many dads work hard to provide for their families. It can be easy to feel unseen and unappreciated during those times.
Every parent has had a moment in which they wondered if they were making a difference in their children’s lives.
Years pass by and we ask ourselves, “Does what I am doing matter? Will my son or daughter ever truly appreciate the efforts I make for them?”
Amidst the terrible twos and perhaps even more terrible teen years, it can be hard to imagine rewards that will be reaped later on down the road.
One stepdad from Maryland recently learned just how much his words impacted his stepdaughter over the years.
When Sophia Wilcox — now 20 — was in middle school, her stepdad Brian Sandusky would leave sweet, handwritten notes on her bedroom door.
Now Wilcox is grown, but she never let go of her stepdad’s words. She saved each and every one of those yellow sticky notes.
When Father’s Day came, Wilcox decided it was time to do something extra special for her dad, just like he had done for her all those years ago.
“[D]uring middle school, my stepdad used to leave me a note on my door each day to inspire me,” Wilcox wrote on Twitter.
“[W]ell, I kept those notes & It’s been 6 years since then. [T]oday I gave him those notes back.”
Watch as Sandusky opens his framed gift. The notes he wrote to Wilcox surround a photo of the pair together. His reaction is everything.
during middle school, my stepdad used to leave me a note on my door each day to inspire me. well, I kept those notes & It’s been 6 years since then. today I gave him those notes back? #HappyFathersDay pic.twitter.com/ftT3sjQEH5
— soph (@Sophia_Kallie) June 17, 2019
“He was so shocked when I gave it to him because he hadn’t known that I kept all the notes. He told me later that he was beyond moved,” Wilcox said, according to The Irish News.
“He’s been in my life for about 10 years now. He’s a very supportive man and always tries to make me laugh, even on a bad day. He’s changed how I see the world and I’m very grateful for that.”
Liftable, a section of The Western Journal, has reached out to both Sophia Wilcox and Brian Sandusky for comment but has not yet received a response. We will update this article if and when we do.
Do you have a special dad in your life who has made a lasting impact? Father’s Day may be over, but every day is a good day to let someone know the difference they have made for you.
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