Son Travels 4K Miles to Surprise Mom on Her 100th B-Day, Finds Her Home Deserted – Story of the Day

On his mother’s 100th birthday, a man travels across the country to surprise her with gifts and cake. Upon arriving at her doorstep, he realizes his mother isn’t inside her house. She has disappeared, and the man has no idea of her whereabouts.

Fifteen years ago, Mark moved out of his mother’s house upon landing a well-paying job in another city. At the time, he thought living 4,000 miles away from his elderly mother, Cassandra, would work out because he planned to visit her monthly.

But fate had other plans. Mark had stuck to his visiting schedule during the first three years and shared a close bond with Cassandra. However, with his increasing workload, he couldn’t find time to visit her monthly.

“I miss you, sweetheart,” his mother would tell him over the phone. “I know you’re busy with work, but I’m sure you can spare a few hours to spend with your old mom.”

“I promise I will visit you soon,” Mark would reply, his voice tinged with uncertainty. He didn’t know if his circumstances would allow him to keep his promise.

Feeling helpless, Mark eventually stopped visiting his elderly mother. He only spoke to her on the phone, updating her about his life. Soon, his relationship with her came to a point where he rarely called her.

It had been ten years since Mark last saw his mother, and he doesn’t remember the last time they spoke on the phone. While sitting at his office desk, working on an important assignment, the man heard his phone ring.

,” the reminder on his phone read.

“Oh, God! How can I forget her birthday again?” Mark shook his head as he turned the reminder alarm off. “I can’t keep disappointing her like this. Let me see how quickly I can get to her place.”

After looking at his work schedule, Mark realized he could make it to his mother’s house by the evening if he left the office in an hour. He quickly finished his work and left the office without wasting another minute.

Every corner of the house reminded him of missed opportunities to bond with his mother, listen to her stories, and learn about her feelings.

On his way, he stopped at a bakery and bought his mother’s favorite cheesecake. “My mother turned 100 today!” he cheered, telling the shopkeeper how happy he was. He also bought her balloons and a few gifts.

Excited to see her after a decade, Mark drove towards his mother’s house. Although he wanted to call her, he thought it would be better to surprise her because he was sure she wasn’t expecting him to visit her. After all, this was the first time he had done something like this in years.

Mark finally arrived at her house after driving for hours across the country, but Cassandra’s place did not look the same anymore. The lights inside were all turned off, and the fence was covered in wild vines. It seemed like no one had been living in the house.

“That’s impossible!” Mark gasped in shock as he exited his car, his gaze searching for a clue suggesting Cassandra still lived there.

He realized the house was abandoned as he walked closer to the entrance. Looking at the broken glass windows and the cobwebs on the door, Mark was sure his mother wasn’t there. But where did she go?

Worried for his elderly mother, Mark entered the house, and with his phone’s flashlight, he carefully walked towards the switchboard in the hallway and turned the switches on, illuminating a room full of cobwebs. A thick layer of dust had settled on the furniture and the photos that took him down memory lane.

As he slowly walked towards the kitchen, a wave of regret engulfed him. Every corner of the house reminded him of missed opportunities to bond with his mother, listen to her stories, and learn about her feelings.

Yearning to see his mother, Mark could feel a heaviness in his heart as a dozen questions popped up in his mind. “Where did she go? Is she safe? Is she angry at me?” he wondered before a terrifying thought crossed his mind:

“Is she alive?”

Searching for clues about his mother’s whereabouts, Mark found a dusty envelope on the kitchen counter. Curious, he opened it, pulling out a letter in his mother’s handwriting.

It turned out that Cassandra had left her house a year ago because she felt lonely. Since Mark never gave her time, she did not want to bother him anymore. Instead, she called a local retirement community and asked if she could join them.

“I hope I’m not dead by the time you read this letter, Mark,” her letter said. “Come visit me before it’s too late. I love you, my precious son!”

As remorse crept through every inch of his body, Mark quickly rushed out of the house and headed towards the retirement community. “I hope you’re still there, Mom. I hope it’s not too late!” he said, his voice trembling with fear.

Upon reaching his destination, Mark exited his vehicle, holding balloons in one hand and his mother’s birthday cake in another. Hoping for the best, he inquired about his mother at the reception and was relieved to find out she was still alive.

“Oh, my God!!!” Cassandra exclaimed upon seeing her son after ten years. “I can’t believe you’re here, Mark!”

“Mom!” Mark rushed towards his mother and wrapped his arms around her. “I am so sorry. I should have visited you earlier.”

“It’s okay, my son,” Cassandra said, rubbing her son’s back.

“Happy 100th birthday, Mom!” he said.

“Come on, let’s cut your cake!”

Mark celebrated his mother’s birthday with her friends at the retirement community. That day, he realized the importance of having family around and how loneliness forces people to do the unthinkable. He felt guilty for not speaking to his mother for years or visiting her. As a result, he promised to be there for her, no matter how busy he was.

What can we learn from this story?

• Look after your elderly parents. Mark regretted not calling or visiting his mother after the thought of losing her crossed his mind. He realized he should have been there for her.
• Acknowledge your mistakes and forgive others. Mark acknowledged his shortcomings and apologized to Cassandra Similarly, the older woman forgave her son, welcoming him back into her life.

Share this story with your friends and family. It might inspire them and brighten their day.

Click here to read another story about a man who learned his aged mother disappeared shortly after new tenants moved in with her.

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.