Rich Orphan Man Gets Letter That Reads ‘30 Owen St. Check Mailbox,' Sees an Abandoned House There – Story of the Day

A wealthy man receives a mysterious letter that sends him to an address and a revelation that will force him to review his past and change his life forever.

Who we are and where we come from are part of our story. Most of us are very lucky and were raised in a loving family. Others, like Richard Fisher, have to invent themselves.

Richard was lucky because even though he was raised in an orphanage and didn't have the advantage of a supportive, loving family, he was extraordinarily intelligent and he was lucky to have dedicated teachers who helped him reach his full potential.

But that same intelligence also divided him from the other children, and his only friend was Jack, one of the orphanage security guards who took him under his wing and sometimes took him to a ball game or to the movies.

Jack passed away when Richard was 14 and his isolation became complete. While the other children made friends or read comic books or fantasy novels, he was reading law reviews and studying precedents.

It would be years before Richard knew who he was, but he knew where he wanted to be -- at the top. He went to college on a scholarship and was so brilliant that by the time he graduated from Harvard Law, he had dozens of job offers.

Richard's intelligence was now an asset, as was his honesty. He quickly became a top litigator and was the youngest partner in the firm's history. There was even talk that he was being considered for the bench.

Richard married and he had three children, and he adored his family. Sometimes when his wife was telling the children stories about her childhood and her grandparents, Richard would feel a pang.

He never knew who his parents were. He had been abandoned at the orphanage, with only his name. That empty hole in his past haunted him. Why had they left him? Didn't they love him?

Then one day, someone delivered an envelope addressed to him in his office. The note inside read: '30 Owen St. Check Mailbox.' Richard was confused. What was it about? It might even be evidence relevant to his most recent case...

Richard immediately went to the address and was surprised to see an abandoned house. He walked inside, but it was empty. Then he remembered the mailbox. There WAS an envelope in the mailbox, and by the looks of it, it had been there a long time.

The envelope was addressed to Jared Rowlings and there was a letter inside. The letter read:

"Dear Jared, I'm so sorry we broke up like this. I'm in love with Kevin and I want to be with him, but I'm pregnant and it's your baby. Kevin doesn't want to raise someone else's son, so I'll leave the baby at the orphanage as soon as it's born. My brother Jack works there. If you don't want to pick him up, he'll take care of him. Sorry! Love Betty.”

Richard was shocked. The woman who wrote this letter... It must have been his mother, and he was the child! Jack was his uncle! His kindness made sense now. His mother sounded very young and very silly, and he wondered if his father had even received the letter!

Through the name on the envelope, Richard traced Jared Rowlings. He was now in his late sixties and living in a nursing home. Richard introduced himself to Jared and gave him the letter. When Jared finished reading the letter, Richard said gently: "I'm your son..."

Jared started crying and explained that he had moved the week his girlfriend had left him and never returned. He had never married and had no children. He was delighted to learn he had grandchildren.

Richard arranged for his father to move in with his family into their large home and the old man was delighted. That night, though, he kept wondering: Who had left the letter at the office? Who had led him back to his past? It was a mystery he'd never solve.

What can we learn from this story?

• Children are precious and should never be abandoned. Richard's mother was young and immature and didn't realize what a treasure her baby was.
• Talent and determination will overcome any obstacle. Despite his drawbacks, Richard's intelligence and character made him a success.

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If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a young girl who aspires to fame and fortune and steals her grandmother's earrings to travel to Los Angeles to become a star.

This account is inspired by our reader’s story and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com