Eighteen-year-old Sabrina, whose dad works as a coal miner, thought his job wasn’t very “respectable.” Because of this, she stayed away from him, didn’t share her secrets, and wouldn’t even let him touch her things.
He didn’t drive a nice car, and for some reason, she hated him for that, even though he had raised her all by himself since she was born.
One evening, while Sabrina was chatting on the phone with a friend, she heard the front door open. It was her dad, Pete. She quickly ended the call because she didn’t want him to find out that her graduation day was coming up. She worried that her classmates would tease her if they saw him with her.
Pete walked into the house with a big smile, holding two packages in his hands. He told Sabrina he had a surprise for her and placed the packages on the table.
Since her mom passed away, Pete had always been there for his daughter. He really understood her feelings and always gave her space when she needed it.
Sabrina was excited about the gifts, but she often thought her dad didn’t deserve her attention just because his hands and face were dirty from coal. She wouldn’t even let him touch her stuff.
Curious about what was in the packages, she opened one and found a beautiful dress inside. It made her smile a lot, but that smile quickly disappeared when she saw a suit for her dad in the other package.
Sabrina bit her lips in annoyance. Taking a deep breath, she told her father that she didn’t want him around.
Pete was totally shocked. He had no clue that his daughter thought so little of him.
“What did you say?” he asked, feeling confused.
“Dad, my friends’ dads come from fancy backgrounds. They’re all rich and look like movie stars. I don’t want you standing with them looking like a… like a mess… Dad, I hope you get it. No matter how nice you dress, people can tell you’re a coal miner just by looking at your dirty face and hands. I don’t want them to make fun of me. Please don’t come to my graduation.”
Pete felt heartbroken, but he wasn’t angry with his daughter. He understood that she didn’t hate him; she just didn’t like his job, and that was okay because she was at an age where she couldn’t really grasp the meaning of what she said.
On Sabrina’s special day, Pete wanted to drive her to the venue, but she said no. She made him promise that he wouldn’t come to her graduation. Pete agreed, but he had other ideas. After Sabrina left the house, he put on his new suit and followed her.
When he arrived, he sat in the parents’ section and cheered for the graduates as they walked across the stage.
When the presenter announced Sabrina’s name, Pete took out his phone and started recording her. She looked so proud, walking confidently with a big smile. But as soon as she saw her dad, her expression changed. She didn’t even give him a smile or anything.
All she could think about was how she wanted the ceremony to be over quickly so she could talk to him. But then, the presenter called Pete’s name and asked him to come up on stage.
“Thank you, Mr. Lauren! Good evening, everyone!” Pete said as he grabbed the microphone. “Could we get the slideshow up, please?!”
Everyone was amazed when the projector began displaying a slideshow filled with pictures of Pete and Sabrina. The images showed her from when she was little all the way to the young woman she has become.
“I love my daughter. Sabrina, I’m so proud of you. I wish your mom could be here to see this too. Emma, if you happen to be here, you can witness it! You once said I couldn’t raise my daughter by myself, but I don’t think there’s any dad out there who feels prouder than I do right now. Congratulations, Sabrina…we made it!”
Sabrina was really moved by her dad’s words. She started crying happy tears as she went up on stage to hug him. “Thank you so much, Dad! I’m sorry,” she said.
The night had come to an end, and as they were heading home, Pete felt it was finally time to tell his daughter the truth. He had waited until she turned 18, thinking she would be mature enough to handle it.
Summoning his courage, he faced Sabrina and revealed that her mother was not dead. In fact, she was alive and lived in the same town.
Sabrina was shocked and nearly fainted. She couldn’t believe her dad had kept such a huge secret from her for so long.
With tears streaming down his face, Pete explained that her mother never wanted her. When she found out she was pregnant, she wanted to abandon Sabrina and put her up for adoption. When Pete urged her not to do that, she admitted that he wasn’t even the real father of the baby but offered him the chance to raise her if he promised to say that her mom was dead.
Pete couldn’t bear the thought of Sabrina going into foster care or being adopted by strangers, so he chose to take her as his own before he divorced her mother.
“I couldn’t imagine you being someone else’s child. You were my whole world, and you still are today,” Pete sobbed.
“So, you’re not really my dad??” Sabrina asked again, needing to confirm what Pete had just told her.
“Sweetheart, I might not be your real dad, but my love for you is just as strong. Forget what I just said. You will always be MY DAUGHTER no matter what happens.”
Sabrina kept saying sorry for calling him “dirty.” She felt grateful that he didn’t turn his back on her even though she wasn’t his biological daughter.
That was the first and only time Pete and Sabrina discussed her mom. They agreed to leave the past behind. But from that day forward, Sabrina was never embarrassed by her dad again. In fact, she felt even prouder that Pete was the one who raised her. She was glad to call him dad.
Please SHARE this article with your family and friends on Facebook.
