Son Who Didn’t Visit His Mother for Years Comes and Sees Her House Destroyed – Story of the Day

I didn't visit my mother for years, having become engrossed in my own life. But one day, I had to pick up some documents from her home and finally flew over to her, only to find her home destroyed and abandoned.

Mom raised me alone after my father walked out on us. Although it wasn’t easy for her, she worked extremely hard to feed me and pay for my education. After graduating high school, I decided to attend a university halfway across the country.

Although sad, she sent me off to study and live in New York while she remained in California. We would keep in touch during my first few years there, and I would call her whenever I had time.

Mom never got to visit me in New York throughout my years in college. Our primary mode of communication was through phone calls, and although these started to lessen as time passed, she still appreciated them very much.

When I was about to graduate from university, I called her to invite her over. "Hey, Mom!" I said on the phone.

"Hi Adam, it's so great to hear from you! How have you been?" she said excitedly.

"I'm good, Mom! I'm calling because I'm finally graduating in two weeks. Will you be able to come over?" I asked.

I could sense how proud Mom was as she happily congratulated me. She'd do anything to see her precious son march to get his diploma. "Of course, Adam. I'll be there. I won't miss it! I'm so proud of you!" she chirped on the call.

After ending the call, Mom proceeded to look for flights to New York. She was surprised to see how expensive the flights were and immediately realized she didn't have enough money to purchase a round-trip ticket and a special graduation gift for me.

So she decided to take on some extra work as a babysitter, working long hours to make extra money. When she felt she had enough savings, she excitedly purchased her ticket and went to a department store to buy me a gift.

After several minutes of browsing, Mom chose a watch. She realized that any professional needed a nice and decent watch, so she wanted to give one to me. She was confident I would secure a good job right after my graduation, so there she was, proudly purchasing a watch for me.

"Please wrap it nicely with a ribbon," she told the saleslady. "It's a graduation gift for my son. He's graduating from a top university in New York!" she gushed.

"That's awesome! You must be so proud. Congratulations!" the saleslady said, packing the watch.

A couple of days later, Mom excitedly made her way to New York. I picked her up from the airport, and together, we drove to my campus, where the graduation ceremony would start shortly.

Mom excitedly pulled out her cell phone and started to snap pictures. When it was my turn to receive my diploma, she couldn't help but stand and cheer her heart out.

"That's my son!" she exclaimed.

After the ceremony, I met Mom and enveloped her in a hug. "Oh, son, congratulations!" she said as we embraced.

"Thanks, Mom. None of this was possible without you," I smiled. "Let's have a nice dinner now," I said, walking with Mom towards the university exit.

That evening, Mom and I enjoyed a lavish dinner at an upscale steakhouse in New York. Mom was initially anxious about the cost, but I reassured her. "I've been working part-time alongside my studies, Mom. Tonight's on me. It's a small way to say thank you for everything you've done for me," I told her, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

Mom was in tears. She was so grateful that I grew up to be such a kind gentleman. "I'm proud of you, son," she said. "I got you something, too. It's nothing great, but I hope you like it."

She took out the gift box and handed it to me. "You really didn't have to get me anything, Mom," I said as I opened it.

When Mom explained she bought the watch so I could wear it to work, I was touched. "This is beautiful, Mom. Thank you," I said with a big smile on my face. "I'm going to wear this to work every day. That way, I'll always have you with me."

Mom and I spent the rest of the night talking, taking photos, and simply enjoying New York's sights.

After a couple more days in New York, Mom had to fly back to California. "Will you be visiting home soon, Adam?" she asked.

"I'll try, Mom. I do have some job interviews lined up, so I'm not sure when I'll get to. I promise to call, though," I assured her.

Unfortunately, that promise was short-lived. For years, I would check on Mom once in a while, but then, I got so busy working on Wall Street and maintaining my relationship with my model girlfriend that these calls became too few. And then, they stopped altogether.

In one of our last conversations, Mom mentioned feeling down, mostly because she felt alone. "I've been losing weight and don't feel like eating much, Adam," she told me.

"You've got to eat, Mom. Why don't you chat with the neighbors or go for walks in the park?" I replied.

I didn't fully grasp the depth of her feelings then. Mom was depressed because she felt alone.

Call it fate that one day, I decided to establish my own firm in New York. For that, I needed documents from California, which I couldn't ask Mom to simply mail over. So, at the last minute, I flew back home and headed to our house without telling her. But when I got there, I was not expecting what I saw.

The house was a shadow of its former self, crumbling and webbed with cobwebs. The fences lay collapsed, and the lawn was an overgrown mess, untouched for what seemed like years. Peering inside, I saw nothing but emptiness and a few pieces of damaged furniture scattered around.

I proceeded to call Mom, but she was not answering, so I walked to our next-door neighbor's house to ask him what happened.

"Hi, Mr. Green," I greeted him.

"Adam? Is that you?" he asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Where's Mom, Mr. Green? What happened to our house?" I asked, feeling both guilty and scared.

"Oh, well, remember that storm that hit California a couple of months ago? Our homes were severely damaged. Your mom didn't have enough money to repair it, and she said she didn't want to burden you, so she moved to a nursing home," Mr. Green explained.

"What? Why don't I know any of this?" I said, shocked. "Where is her nursing home?" I asked.

After getting the address, I quickly made my way there. When I arrived, I saw Mom, frail and in a wheelchair. "Mom," I said in tears as I approached her.

"Adam? What are you doing here?" Mom asked.

"Mom, I'm so sorry for not paying more attention to you. I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed me the most," I confessed, tears streaming down my face as I knelt before her wheelchair.

"Adam, stop this nonsense and stand up," Mom insisted, reaching out to lift me. I shook my head and clung to her knees, and Mom couldn't help but cry. She thought she would never see me again, and seeing me there, in the flesh, asking for forgiveness, made her feel both touched and relieved.

"I'm so sorry, Mom. You don't have to be alone ever again," I said, shaking my head. "I'm going to live with you, and I'm going to take care of you," I promised.

This time, I really kept my promise.

I got our old home fixed up and took Mom out of the nursing home once it was completed. I also decided to start my business in California instead of New York and asked my girlfriend to move in with us.

Since then, the three of us have lived together happily.

What I want to emphasize here is the importance of staying in touch with our loved ones, regardless of life's demands or distances. For years, I took my mother for granted, only to discover that I was neglecting the most precious gift I had — her unwavering love and support.

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