A dying father knew how hard his daughter would take his death, so he arranged to have flowers and a letter delivered to her every year through her 21st birthday. His final letter touched the hearts of millions.
Bailey Sellers was only 16 when her dad, Mike Sellers, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Because her siblings had already moved out and started families of their own, she decided to leave the classroom for a homeschool education. That way she could take care of him. That time together created a unique father-daughter bond.
“I got homeschooled pretty much so I could spend time and take care of my dad while my mom worked to take care of us,” she told People in 2017.
Bailey spent her free time driving Mike to doctor’s appointments, picking up his medications, cooking him meals, and talking to him “about how scared he was.”
“The experience made me a better person,” she shared. “If I wouldn’t have gotten homeschooled, I wouldn’t have seen him suffer every day. And I wouldn’t have understood.”
“When he did finally pass, it was kind of like happiness and sadness combined,” Bailey continued. “I was happy that he was no longer suffering and he was in a much better place now … That experience made me grow up and mature.”
Bailey Sellers’ father died before her 17th birthday. But he didn’t forget about the milestone. Before he passed, he arranged to have flowers and a letter delivered to her door.
“I had no idea I was getting these flowers, whatsoever,” she told the publication. “When I turned 17, I got home one day and I found a bouquet of flowers on the front porch. I had no idea who they were from and I was very surprised.”
After Recieving Heartfelt Letter From Dying Father, Daughter Goes On To “Live Life To The Fullest”
Each year, the flowers continued to show up. But when she turned 21, the letter said it would be the last, and Bailey’s dad did his best to say goodbye. Bailey posted a picture of the letter on her Twitter page (X), and it has since earned over 1 million likes. You can read her father’s words below.
Bailey went on to graduate high school and attend East Tennessee State University. She is now happily married, living her “life to the fullest” just as her dad had hoped.
“He was my best friend and I looked up to him,” Bailey continued. “I think he left me flowers because he knew I would be taking it the hardest.”
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