Woman Thanks Ex-Boyfriend's Kid For Making Her Feel Loved
Jen and her brother, Todd, were just 10 and 12 years old when their father began dating Shirley Norton. It was 1986. Their love affair was short-lived, lasting only a year.
And while it may have been brief, it left an impact that stayed with Shirley until she died.
Eighteen years later, Jen received a phone call out of the blue. It was from a bank manager, informing her that Shirley had bequeathed $50,000 each to her and her brother. But in addition to the inheritance, Shirley also left behind a note.
A Random Phone Call
@intoxicatedinsights69 Absolutely gut wrenching story! Step parents truly are angels on earth. Thank you guys for all that you do. Thank you to the endlessly fascinating Jen, for sharing this story with us. Full episode is out. Link in bio
Jen recently shared her story on her podcast, Intoxicated Insights. She also posted a clip of the episode on TikTok where it has gone viral, garnering more than 2 million views, 237,000 likes, and nearly 5,000 comments.
"I get a random phone call, this is like 2004, I have two small children," she explained to her co-host Sage.
"I get this random call from this woman from Utah who's a bank manager telling me that one of my dad's ex-girlfriends has passed away and left me and my brother $50,000 each."
Jen via TikTok
Initially, she thought she was being punked. It took the bank manager more than half an hour to finally convince Jen to provide her address.
She explained to Sage that the woman the bank manager called her about was "legit" one of her father's ex-girlfriends and they had only dated for one year before he broke up with her. But throughout that year, Shirley took care of Jen, buying her clothes, decorating her room, and being "absolutely sweet" to her.
Jen remembers the day Shirley left. She begged Shirley to take her with her.
"I might have seen her like maybe one or two more times but my dad got a new girlfriend and that was that."
Until 18 years later...
When Jen received the mail from the bank manager she discovered that in addition to the cash, Shirley had also left behind a two-page letter.
Jen has held onto that letter for 20 years.
The Letter From Her Father's Ex-Girlfriend
Jen's father's ex-girlfriend bequeathed $50,000 each to her and her brother. But in addition to the inheritance, she also left behind a note.
Youtube/intoxicatedinsights
Holding back tears, Jen read Shirley's letter aloud:
"Dear Todd and Jenny, I bet you both are asking yourself, who is she?" the letter began.
"I met you and your father in 1986 when you were about 10 and 12 years old. You each made a remarkable impact on me. You were both great kids. You were friendly and made me feel welcome in your lives."
To further jog the siblings' memories, Shirley wrote that at the time Jen wanted to be an actress and own a pink Ferrari. She talked about going to SeaWorld and spending Thanksgiving at Lake Tahoe. She reminisced about Knotts Berry Farm and eating dinner together on the Queen Mary.
"Todd, when we went to Circus Circus, you won a little stuffed lion for me," she added. "I still have it."
And when Jenny went to camp? She made Shirley a wall hanging out of a pie plate. "I still have it too," Shirley wrote.
"I never had any children of my own," she added. "But for that one year you made me feel like I was part of your family."
Cue the tears.
Shirley also shared in the letter that she'd had a kidney transplant in 1992. "This gift of life gave me many extra years so I could enjoy this amazing world."
She ended the letter, writing: "I had a good life. I would like to make your life a little easier and more secure. I pray you both have wonderful lives. P.S. Jenny, please don't buy a pink Ferrari," she joked before adding, "But if you really want one, buy it."
"We don't always know the impact we make on someone's life"
@intoxicatedinsights69 Replying to @AileneTH jen says thank you!
The money came at a time when Jen needed it most. In a follow-up TikTok she explains her son had just been diagnosed with autism.
"At the time my youngest son had just got diagnosed with autism and so the money was great because I paid for a lot of therapies for him."
She also shared that the family moved "and it did make my life a lot better." (Although she never did get that pink Ferrari).
But it's the letter that is truly priceless.
"The letter was the best. I've held onto it for all these years. I read it, it's sad, and it always touches my heart."
Jen via TikTok
It's also touched the hearts of more than 2 million TikTok viewers.
"Perfect example that we don’t always know the impact we make on someone’s life. She never forgot you," one commenter wrote.
"Omg I’m sobbing 😭.. that was so so sweet," wrote another. "All the memories she still had of the kids ❤️❤️"
A third said, "As an adult child of divorce who’s Dad had many girlfriends that I loved but never got to say goodbye to, this helped to heal me. Maybe they loved me as much as I loved them."
Sometimes people aren't meant to stay in our lives. They are there for a short time and then they're gone. But just because they are no longer with us, it doesn't mean they are forgotten.
Shirley never forgot the time she spent with Jenny and Todd, even two decades later. Her generous bequest and heartfelt letter were a testament to the deep impact their brief connection had on her life.
It's also a sweet reminder that blood isn't what binds a family together. It's love, no matter how briefly we get to share it.
*Featured image contains photo by cottonbro studio
The World Needs More You: How to Be Successful at Being Yourself
We all aspire to be successful in life, and sometimes we get so lost in the cloudy journey of fulfilling these dreams that we miss out on the important things.
In the quest for more "success," many are tempted to forfeit their true essence to become someone they are not. The world even advises you to "fake it till you make it" -- and no wonder we have a generation of people whose self-image is governed by Instagram likes and Facebook shares. A generation of young adults who are too scared to tap into their inner being and unravel the riches of their true personalities for fear of not being "accepted" by the majority.
READ: The "Risky" Road to Connection: Why You Must Dare to Be Yourself
Yet becoming someone you are not is a great injustice, both to yourself and to society. The world already has too many fakes. It is counting on you to embrace your uniqueness and dare to make a difference. You owe it to yourself to stand out from the crowd, reject what doesn't reflect your personality and uphold what is right and fair.
The World Needs More You: How to Be Successful at Being Yourself
Winning in any facet of life, be it your career or relationship, can only be sustained by first becoming successful at being yourself. The real challenge is to not succumb to social pressure and societal mediocrity. Step out from your comfort zone and live life simply being you.
The following tips will help you get started.
1 . Reimagine your potential
The image you have of yourself is so important that it ultimately determines how others see and treat you. A low self-image is quickly followed by a low self-esteem and people won't be slack to use that to your disadvantage.
You must learn to see beyond your present circumstances and visualize what you hope to become. Your reality is highly dependent on the quality of your imagination. Do away with thoughts of doubts and fear and begin to trust in your skills and abilities.
READ: Live Like You Already Have It, and You Will
It doesn't matter what has happened in the past or what has been said concerning you, make a resolute decision today to begin to think more highly of yourself and learn to appreciate what makes you different.
2 . Surround yourself with the right people
Desist from being around negative and pessimistic people who see nothing but all that's wrong with the world; people who are not interested in rendering value, but are more preoccupied with presenting a false image of themselves in an attempt to be liked and approved by others. Negative vibes produce negative attitude.
READ: 4 Tips to Help You Attract the Right Kinds of Friends
Surround yourself with folks who do not just talk, but live out what they preach. Who don't feel bound by the status quo, but are ready to face life at the edge of their potential.
3 . Quit comparing yourself to others
When you keep looking at others to find validation of who you are, you end up disappointed and discouraged much of the time.
There are millions of people out there who would certainly appear to be more talented, prettier, richer, stronger, or more successful than you. The key is to accept this fact and never rate yourself in comparison to another's abilities.
READ: Mind the Comparison Trap: Why Life's Race Is Only Against Yourself
Learn to appreciate people who possess the skills you desire, and learn from them if you can. They may have special talents that you don't have, but you have something special they don't have: your own uniqueness, style and personality. Build on these and you'll eventually discover that you can do stuff in a way that no one else can.
4 . Create your purpose
Look within yourself to find what you love the most, and how you can bring value to someone else. It doesn't necessarily have to be anything grandiose at the moment -- even the smallest act of service can make a big difference to someone's life.
READ: Find Your Why: How to Discover Your Professional Purpose
The greatest disservice to one's self is selfishness and self-preoccupation. The fastest way to become successful at being yourself is to become a blessing and a solution to someone else.�
5 . Stand up to criticism
You will never be free from people who will be apt to point out your mistakes and flaws. But it doesn't matter -- people are always bound to criticize what they fear. To be successful at being yourself, you must realize that people will try to break you with destructive words just to get the worse out of you. Don't let them!
Every successful person today has faced major criticism and opposition along the way, and they all did one thing in common: they kept moving.
READ: The Self-Growth Guide to Making Criticism Your Friend
You must therefore not be scared to say NO to things that are contrary to your values and principles. Stand for what you believe in, pursue a dream, and never give up.
6. Never seek appreciation from others
This doesn't imply that you shouldn't work hard or be committed to everything you do. But doing things for the purpose of gaining others' appreciation is the wrong motive, and ultimately won't bring long-lasting satisfaction.
Even when you do things for the right reasons, you shouldn't be surprised when people don't thank you or appreciate your work. Not everyone has your heart. You should keep giving your best nonetheless, and only seek appreciation from yourself.
Closing words
There are over 7 billion people in the world and no one is exactly like you. This is your power. Embrace it, cherish it, and develop it! Don't be scared of standing out and never be intimidated when you encounter failure. The greatest successes in life come from having the freedom to fail.
Make mistakes and learn quickly. And at the end of your story, let it never be written that you lived someone else's life. Be the best of you there can possibly be. The world needs more of you.