High listeners, this is Ashley Flowers. And I have a story I want to tell you, a story about some

of the strangest letters that I've ever received. So gather around and listen close.

Today marks the 20th anniversary of my father's death, taken away by a single,

senseless act. But it also just so happens that today is my birthday. He'd been working late as

he often did, regardless of birthdays or holidays. And I understood it was a painful memory for him,

and though a relationship had always been a bit strained, I never blamed him for making a living,

because as a single father, he had a lot on his mind and I respected that. But that night,

on my 18th birthday, my father was hit by a drunk driver on his way home. He never even made it to

the hospital. His insides were so utterly torn to pieces by the impact that he simply died before

the paramedics could even show up. A few weeks after the funeral, I was trying to piece together the

legal mess that comes following someone's death, inheritance, and so on. It certainly wasn't anything

a teenager should have had to deal with, but I was alone, like no close family, no one to guide

me through the world anymore. Ironically, his lawyer seemed to know more about my father than I did.

After dealing with whatever assets were left behind, the lawyer had been given a set of instructions,

all prepared by my father should he meet an untimely demise. So I signed all the necessary

documents and was given some advice on how to survive the loss of a loved one. Then I received a

letter. It was wrapped in a beautiful silver envelope only decorated with my name. I opened it,

careful not to rip it apart, and I started reading.

Dear Ashley, I'll start this letter by admitting to one undeniable truth. I'm not a good man,

and I've been an even shityer father. I've made plenty of mistakes, left too many things unsaid.

I could make up the excuse that I'm simply the product of my time and the people that raised me,

but I'll cut through the bullshit and just apologize. Your mother died while giving birth.

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