Son Quits Job to Take Mom from Nursing Home Where He Left Her, Doesn’t Find Her There – Story of the Day

A man left his mother in a nursing home when he got a job abroad, but he spent most of his life in guilt, thinking about her well-being. Therefore, he quit his job and went to find her, only to discover that she was gone, and he never imagined what would happen next.

"Are you sure you won't come with me to Spain?" Edward asked his mother, Coleen, after they finished moving her into the best nursing home in Orlando, and the woman smiled, shaking her head.

"I already said no. This is a great alternative!" she said, gesturing around her single room while Edward looked worried. "Don't fret about me. I'll be fine with all these nurses and new friends!"

"Ok," he said, sighing. This decision had been their compromise. Edward had gotten a great job in Spain, where he attended college and earned his undergraduate and master's degree too. He returned to Orlando after graduating, hoping to convince Colleen to move with him to Spain permanently.

"Excuse me? That's impossible. Look again," he demanded, his voice starting to rise.

The older woman, who had Edward when she was 30 and by then was 70, didn't want to start over in a new country, especially because she didn't speak Spanish. The only solution was to move her to a nursing home. She thought it was a marvelous idea and was excited to be in a community.

Edward still felt terrible about it, but his mother wouldn't hear about moving to Europe with him, so he had to accept that. They finished moving her in, he said goodbye, and she wished him good luck.

"Hey! Don't come back here without a wife! Do you understand me?" Colleen joked, and Edward knew she'd be alright.

Five years later…

Edward couldn't do it. Although he loved Spain, his job, his friends, and the dating scene, he often thought of his mother. He always sent her more than enough money to pay for her nursing home and extra expenses, but he worried for her constantly.

Every time the nursing home sent him emails, his heart jumped, thinking it would be the worst news ever. It never was. They were just informing him of family events, updating him on the goings-on, and offering him new packages. He was always thankful, but his anxiety was through the roof.

He decided to submit his two weeks notice and made all his arrangements to move back home. It would be sad to say goodbye to Madrid and the beautiful people there, but his mother was a priority.

Edward returned to Orlando a few weeks later, but he didn't tell his mother. He wanted it to be a surprise, so he rented an apartment not far from her nursing home, furnished it, and decided to visit her.

Edward loved seeing the calm atmosphere of the nursing home. There was activity, but it was still peaceful. Only the staff was running back and forth.

A young woman greeted him, and he explained why he was there.

"I'm here to see Colleen. She's my mother," he said, patting the reception desk with his hand excitedly.

"Colleen?"

"Mrs. Graham," Edward clarified, still smiling.

"I'm sorry. We don't have a Mrs. Graham here," the receptionist said, typing on her computer.

"Look again. She's been here for over five years," he insisted, but the girl shook her head again.

"I'm sorry, sir. We don't have anyone with that name," she repeated apologetically.

"Excuse me? That's impossible. Look again," he demanded, his voice starting to rise.

"Sir," the girl started.

"LOOK AGAIN!" Edward boomed, scaring her. His anxiety went through the roof, and he was about to get even angrier.

"Mr. Graham!" someone interrupted them, and Edward turned around. It was his mother's favorite staff, Nurse Jackie.

"Jackie! Thank God. This young woman told me my mother isn't here, and I was about to have a heart attack," he greeted, shaking her hand.

"Mr. Graham, come with me," she said, smiling tightly. Edward frowned at her attitude.

"No, no, no. I can't take any of this mysteriousness. Tell me what's going on right now," he demanded again. "Is my mother not here? What happened? Why didn't I get a call? Or an email? Why are you all being so sketchy?"

"Sir, nothing is wrong. It's just…," Nurse Jackie began and finally smiled widely. "Your mother asked us to pretend she was still here. She thought you wouldn't come back."

"Pretend? Where is she?"

"Your mother met a man here, Mr. Danes, and they decided to move to a different kind of senior community. It's a few miles away. But they get their own house and live more independently. There's still staff to care for them."

Edward's heart stopped beating fast.

"Ok, a man… wow, I never expected that," he breathed. "Why was it a secret?"

"You'll have to ask her that. But don't worry. They still have staff caring for them. It's just a different setup. Oh, our receptionist has only been here three months. Your mother moved away six months ago."

"Jesus. My mother sure is something." He finally laughed and thanked her. "Do you know where she lives now?"

Nurse Jackie told him, and he drove to his mother, who opened the door and looked at him in chagrin, knowing she had been caught. But Edward didn't have the heart to say anything. He only asked to meet her new fellow and to show him her new living situation.

Edward realized his mother was living a perfect life. At one point, he thought maybe he should've reconsidered moving back, but he decided he made the right decision. His mother eventually walked down the aisle and got married, and he saw how happy she was. She also got to meet his girlfriend, who became his fiancée later.

In the end, there were no regrets. Sometimes, you must put your family first.

What can we learn from this story?

• Your parents cared for you, so it's only fitting to care for them in their old age. Edward wanted his mother to be safe, and he paid for a nursing home. But in the end, he felt guilty and moved back.
• It's best not to keep secrets from your family members. Colleen should've told Edward about her decision so he had more information before leaving Spain. But everything worked out in the end.

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If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a man who sent his mother to a nursing home and couldn't find her there years later.

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.