Dear Tom
A tragic accident in 198524 total reviews
Comment from ExperiencingLiphe
I love that you're going to send this. What a wonderful Christmas gift for him to receive. When I worked at the daycare I was always scared of one the babies dying of SIDS or something. I know it wouldn't have been my fault but it always freaked me out. I hope you do a follow up on this. Great job and good luck in the contest
reply by the author on 05-Dec-2016
I love that you're going to send this. What a wonderful Christmas gift for him to receive. When I worked at the daycare I was always scared of one the babies dying of SIDS or something. I know it wouldn't have been my fault but it always freaked me out. I hope you do a follow up on this. Great job and good luck in the contest
Comment Written 04-Dec-2016
reply by the author on 05-Dec-2016
-
Thank you. I already sent the letter and am hoping for the best. I'm ashamed of myself for waitingso long.
Comment from Jackarrie
This is a very sad situation, to have your son killed must be horrendous. It must have been just as bad for the person who shot him accidently. He has suffered just as much. I do hope you will send the letter to him, it is better late than never.
good luck in the contest, Mary
reply by the author on 04-Dec-2016
This is a very sad situation, to have your son killed must be horrendous. It must have been just as bad for the person who shot him accidently. He has suffered just as much. I do hope you will send the letter to him, it is better late than never.
good luck in the contest, Mary
Comment Written 04-Dec-2016
reply by the author on 04-Dec-2016
-
Thank you. I already sent the letter. I hope he can forgive me for my lapse in not contacting him all these years.
Comment from RazorFace
Very nice and well written. From the heart is always the most powerful. I hope that all parties in this unfortunate accident have moved on too.
reply by the author on 03-Dec-2016
Very nice and well written. From the heart is always the most powerful. I hope that all parties in this unfortunate accident have moved on too.
Comment Written 03-Dec-2016
reply by the author on 03-Dec-2016
-
Thank you. I hope it helps in the long run. Should have done this long ago.
Comment from HarlanDrusky
I'm sorry for your loss. Reading your letter, I believe every word of it and can't imagine the pain you must feel. It is tragic to lose a loved one especially when it's a child and I hope this letter while bring you and it's recipient at least some sort of deliverance from the pain you've experienced over the years. Good luck with the contest.
reply by the author on 01-Dec-2016
I'm sorry for your loss. Reading your letter, I believe every word of it and can't imagine the pain you must feel. It is tragic to lose a loved one especially when it's a child and I hope this letter while bring you and it's recipient at least some sort of deliverance from the pain you've experienced over the years. Good luck with the contest.
Comment Written 01-Dec-2016
reply by the author on 01-Dec-2016
-
Thank you. It was a difficult letter to write but I'm glad I did so. I sent it already.
Comment from Rasmine
What a beautiful letter. I am so sorry for your loss.
I hope Tom responds to this letter--and I have a feeling he will. It takes so much strength and compassion to be able to forgive something like this. I hope you two get together and visit over the holidays!! It would be very healing.
Good luck in the contest!
reply by the author on 01-Dec-2016
What a beautiful letter. I am so sorry for your loss.
I hope Tom responds to this letter--and I have a feeling he will. It takes so much strength and compassion to be able to forgive something like this. I hope you two get together and visit over the holidays!! It would be very healing.
Good luck in the contest!
Comment Written 01-Dec-2016
reply by the author on 01-Dec-2016
-
Thank you. I hope Tom will forgive me for letting him think I never forgave him all these years. In truth, I never blamed him for one moment and should have let him know long ago.
Comment from Dawn Munro
I'm so terribly sorry for your loss; what an unbearable thing. I lost my son too, though he was only three months old and his death was from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. But like you, it has stayed with me lifelong, so I understand some measure of your pain. I'm sure the man you address in this letter would know too, even as a teenager.
This must have been very difficult to write, yet you did a marvelous job. It is clear and composed very well. Good luck in the contest.
reply by the author on 01-Dec-2016
I'm so terribly sorry for your loss; what an unbearable thing. I lost my son too, though he was only three months old and his death was from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. But like you, it has stayed with me lifelong, so I understand some measure of your pain. I'm sure the man you address in this letter would know too, even as a teenager.
This must have been very difficult to write, yet you did a marvelous job. It is clear and composed very well. Good luck in the contest.
Comment Written 01-Dec-2016
reply by the author on 01-Dec-2016
-
Thank you. I feel for your loss too. It doesn't matter what age a child is it hurts just as bad. Thanks for your kind comments.
-
You're very welcome. Thank you too.
Comment from Ogden
A truly heart-rending story, undoubtably authentic, well-written, and, in my opinion, with an excellent chance of winning the "I'm Sorry" contest. Good luck!
Don
reply by the author on 01-Dec-2016
A truly heart-rending story, undoubtably authentic, well-written, and, in my opinion, with an excellent chance of winning the "I'm Sorry" contest. Good luck!
Don
Comment Written 01-Dec-2016
reply by the author on 01-Dec-2016
-
Thank you. Winning the contest doesn't matter as much as finally doing what should have been done years ago. It took FanStory to wake me up.
Comment from LaRosa
I give you six stars because of the courage it took for you to even write this letter. It took even more courage to tell the world how you feel. I suspect, that now you've written about it, some of the fear is gone. You are doing a beautiful and good thing to reach out to this man.
It is unbearable to cause tragedy. It is even more unbearable to never know forgiveness.
Thank you for sharing your story with us, here at FanStory. You also teach us to be responsible in every possible way, and...that we don't have to hate. We can choose Love.
May God bless you for the choice you have made.
reply by the author on 01-Dec-2016
I give you six stars because of the courage it took for you to even write this letter. It took even more courage to tell the world how you feel. I suspect, that now you've written about it, some of the fear is gone. You are doing a beautiful and good thing to reach out to this man.
It is unbearable to cause tragedy. It is even more unbearable to never know forgiveness.
Thank you for sharing your story with us, here at FanStory. You also teach us to be responsible in every possible way, and...that we don't have to hate. We can choose Love.
May God bless you for the choice you have made.
Comment Written 01-Dec-2016
reply by the author on 01-Dec-2016
-
Thank you for the six stars and the kind words. This should have been done years ago but I was afraid to "go there". It took FanStory to wake me up.
-
God Bless! :)
Comment from Nika2016
As parents, we sometimes do things, or neglect to do what could make a real difference in our children's welfare. It is not intentional. We just do not have a view of all possibilities. I let my kids hike to their "crystal cave"...years later finding that it was down a cliff to the ocean where the tide came in...I thought it was imaginary.. They always returned...happy..but I was lucky.
You were not lucky and both you and the other boy have suffered far too long. Your letter will bring closure if not self-forgiveness on his part. It is an excellent letter...warm and caring.
reply by the author on 01-Dec-2016
As parents, we sometimes do things, or neglect to do what could make a real difference in our children's welfare. It is not intentional. We just do not have a view of all possibilities. I let my kids hike to their "crystal cave"...years later finding that it was down a cliff to the ocean where the tide came in...I thought it was imaginary.. They always returned...happy..but I was lucky.
You were not lucky and both you and the other boy have suffered far too long. Your letter will bring closure if not self-forgiveness on his part. It is an excellent letter...warm and caring.
Comment Written 01-Dec-2016
reply by the author on 01-Dec-2016
-
Thank you. I should have written this years ago. My parents used to allow us kids to play in the swamp behind our farm. I don't think they had any idea how dangerous it was. There were patches of quicksand and Michigan rattlesnakes in that swamp. I guess we were lucky too.
Comment from humpwhistle
There is no way to critique this piece--from a writing standpoint, at least.
Too personal. Too tragic. Perhaps even now, too soon.
You have put the event in perspective, concerning blame.
I believe that's a significant positive.
Beyond that, any words of comfort would ring hollow
for both of us.
I hope Tom gets the message.
Peace, Lee
reply by the author on 30-Nov-2016
There is no way to critique this piece--from a writing standpoint, at least.
Too personal. Too tragic. Perhaps even now, too soon.
You have put the event in perspective, concerning blame.
I believe that's a significant positive.
Beyond that, any words of comfort would ring hollow
for both of us.
I hope Tom gets the message.
Peace, Lee
Comment Written 30-Nov-2016
reply by the author on 30-Nov-2016
-
Thank you, my friend. A good review from you means a lot to me. However, I didn't write this just for the contest, I wrote it because it is something I should have done long ago. I wrote from my heart. I hope Tom will forgive for letting him suffer such guilt all these years. It took FanStory to wake me up.