Boy Sells Late Grandma’s Old Ring to Save Mom’s Life, Finds It in Mailbox Next Day – Story of the Day

A poor boy racing against time to save his mom's life sold his late grandma's heirloom ring, only to find it in his mailbox with a tear-jerking note the next day.

Peter was lying on the couch, exhausted. Fresh-cut, mowed grass bits stuck to his pants as he had just returned home from mowing his neighbor's lawn.

"Do you have to do this, son? I feel so bad when I see you work so hard for me," his mother, Erin, cried. "I wish the insurance covered everything, but..."

Peter ignored his widowed mom. He had been mowing his neighbor's lawn for $10 to save enough money for her heart operation. After all, she's all he had...

The 15-year-old boy's life was never like this before, or at least, not when his granny Merlin was around. Peter and his mother moved into Merlin's house around 10 years ago, after his dad died in a motorcycle hit and run.

"What's that?" he murmured and walked over to check, only to be startled by the ring he sold the previous day. There was a note attached to it.

Peter loved his grandma and grew up under her wisdom and care. Erin worked in a local leather factory but stopped going there after her health deteriorated.

The family lived an average middle-class life without any qualms, but soon, their joy ended with Merlin's untimely passing three years ago.

"What is that in your hand?" Erin asked Peter a week after Merlin's funeral. "Show it to me."

"It's grandma's ring...She gave this to me saying it was precious and told me to keep it for the woman I loved," said Peter, showing her the stone-studded ring.

"Oh, mom never told me about it. Well, keep it safely for the woman you love then!" Erin said, cheering him up.

Things slowly started to get back to normal after Merlin's death. It had been three years since her passing, and life got busier for Erin, who started waitressing to make ends meet. But one day, Peter got a call from the restaurant where his mother worked informing him of an emergency.

"Yes, we admitted her to the hospital. She was serving a guest when she held her chest and collapsed."

Peter hurried to the hospital, where a piece of news from the doctor jolted him.

"...No, doctor, my mom only has me, nobody else. What is it?" Peter asked, tears slowly filling his anxious eyes.

"Your mother needs immediate heart surgery. It would cost around $70,000," replied the doctor, doubling Peter's agony. "She will be discharged in two days but has to undergo the operation in two months."

"$70,000???" exclaimed Peter.

"Yes, the sooner she undergoes the operation, the better."

Peter sank in despair as he sat on the chair, his face buried in his palms. "What will I do for so much money?"

Erin was discharged, and she stopped going to work. Peter skipped his basketball practice after school to find part-time jobs. Since he was only 15, nobody hired him for any full-time position. Nevertheless, he did not lose hope and did petty gigs in his neighborhood like mowing lawns, babysitting, and walking dogs.

He returned home daily, exhausted, tossing his daily wage in a box. He had no time to do his homework and did his best in his race against time to save his mother.

With only 5 days left for his mom's surgery, Peter only managed to make $700. He wept, staring at the calendar. "Where will I go for so much money?"

Just then, he remembered his grandma's words.

"

..." he exclaimed, running to his closet where he had kept his late granny's treasured heirloom ring.

Peter observed the dazzling stone-studded ring, not knowing its worth.

"She said to keep it for the woman I love. Mom is the woman I love. Granny, thank you so much...I'm selling this ring!" He snapped his fingers and quickly took a few pictures of the jewelry on his phone, posting them with his contact details on an online marketplace.

A couple of hours later, he got a call from an unknown number, and moments later, a stranger knocked on his door.

"Peter?" asked the man.

"Yes, that's me. I was the one you spoke with on the call. Glad to meet you."

"Mark," the man said, extending his hand for a warm handshake. "Nice to meet you. So, can I see the ring?"

"Sure, here," said Peter, handing the man a little jewelry case.

"This is unbelievable! Are you sure you want to sell this ring?" Mark asked, surprised after seeing it.

"Yes, I'm sure," replied Peter.

Mark observed the ring, and finally, he proposed a life-changing deal Peter didn't expect.

"$100K...Is that okay with you?"

"What? $100K? Are you serious?" Peter shrieked. He had underestimated the ring's true worth and assumed he would only be getting mere thousands for it.

"Well, yes, $100K. It's a very rare diamond ring. The cut is flawless, and getting something like this nowadays is next to impossible because it is a classic beauty from the past," said Mark, curious to know why Peter was giving it up.

Peter narrated his story, moving Mark to tears.

"...My grandma gave it to me to keep for the woman I love. I love my mom and want to save her life," he concluded.

"Well, then the deal is sealed. Here is your money," Mark said, handing out a check.

Peter held his grandma's esteemed ring close to his heart. He happily took the check and bid Mark goodbye. His mother returned home from shopping and was startled to see him holding a check in the living room. Peter explained how he got it, and she was furious.

"You sold mom's ring? Peter, how could you do that?" she fumed.

"But mom, I love you. She told me to keep it for the woman I love, and YOU ARE THAT WOMAN. It's for your operation. Please accept it coz I feel this is what grandma wanted me to do."

With a heavy heart, Erin agreed. She was admitted to the hospital the next day.

That afternoon, Peter returned home from school to freshen up before visiting his mother, and he saw something fluttering in the mailbox.

"What's that?" he murmured and walked over to check, only to be startled by the ring he sold the previous day. There was a note attached to it. It was from Mark, the wealthy businessman he sold the ring to. He wrote:

Dear Peter,

Son, I am proud of you and wish I had a son like you.

I, too, had a grandma I loved when I was young. But at the time, we were not rich and did not have enough money to save her life after a tragic accident. So I worked hard to get to where I am now to make sure I don't lose anyone else I love because I didn't have the means to save them.

I am sure you did the right thing in sacrificing your late grandma's ring for the woman you love. However, you deserve to keep this ring because you have a kind heart.

Don't worry about the money. You can keep that too. Use it to help build your future. By helping you, I would like to believe I am honoring my late grandma too.

— Mark

Peter was touched after reading the letter. He called Mark to thank him.

"...Ah, it's okay, son. I am glad I was able to help," replied Mark. "We will definitely meet someday, and I'm sure I'll see a successful young man then!"

Feeling warm and light, Peter visited his mom in the hospital, only to find a bouquet near her bed with a get-well-soon card. It was from Mark again!

Peter sighed and prayed for his mother's speedy recovery to share the good news with her. Meanwhile, only time will tell how far he will go to become prosperous as Mark hoped for him!

What can we learn from this story?

• Be generous regardless of how rich or successful you may be. Despite buying the ring from Peter, Mark returned it to him the next day because he was moved by Peter's attempt to save his mother. He did not expect Peter to return his money. Instead, he left a note wishing him good luck with his future.
• Children must love their parents and know that material wealth is nothing compared to their presence. Peter sold his late grandmother's treasured heirloom ring to save his mother's life because he realized she was the woman he loved.

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This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers 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.