Miner’s daughter says he can’t come to her graduation because he’s ‘dirty’. He begins to cry and regrets everything she said to him as he continues to attend to her and talk to her through the microphone.
“Okay, I’ll call you later…Dad’s here,”
The moment Sabrina, then eighteen, heard her coal-burning father Pete park his van in the garage, she hung up on her boyfriend.
She tried to get Pete’s attention elsewhere on the television, constantly changing the station. Her graduation was in two days and she hoped he wouldn’t ask her.
Pete wasn’t invited because Sabrina felt self-conscious about his appearance. She was afraid her dad would comment unfavorably about her being “dirty” and having a sweaty, coal-like odor.
“Hey, my love!” “Look what I’ve got for you,” exclaimed a beaming Pete as he entered.
Although stunned, Sabrina calmed down. Although she didn’t mind the surprise, she hated seeing her father’s hands and face turn black. She never gave him permission to handle or defile any of her possessions.
Pete knew Sabrina quite well. He had been doing this for many years since she lost her motherhood. “Honey, I hope you love them!” he said leaving the two gifts on the table as he respected Sabrina’s limits and gave her space.
Sabrina opened the package and saw an amazing garment inside, once she realized her dad was nowhere to be found.
She started to blush, she loved it. She then opened the second box and discovered an expensive suit inside.
“Dad, thanks for the clothes. Whose clothes are these?”
“Honey, this is for me! Since it’s your graduation, I have to look flawless.”
Those who have dedicated their lives to you should not be ashamed.
Frustrated, Sabrina pursed her lips.
Throwing the box away, she spoke a stern line, “Dad, I don’t want you to come. I’ll be there with all my friends and their parents. Please, I don’t want them to make fun of me.” when they see you.”
Pete wiped his face and left the restroom, leaving a grim silence behind. Sabrina’s words hit him like a ton of bricks and he was stunned.
“What did you say?”
“Dad, my friends’ fathers come from well-known families. They all look like celebrities and are rich. I hope you understand, Dad, but I don’t want you standing among them looking like…like a mess.” dirty hands and face tell everyone that you are a miner, no matter how nice you dress, I don’t want anyone to make fun of me.
Pete was really upset because he expected to go to the event.
Pete was really upset because he expected to go to the event.
I do appreciate the clothes though. I adore it. Pete was left with a lot more than grief as Sabrina stormed off to try on a dress in her room.
Pete believed that Sabrina was too young to know how much he loved her. He decided to go to prom despite his broken heart and offered her the emotional surprise he had already planned. “She’s still a little girl!” he said to calm himself down.
Two days later, on graduation day…
“Honey, should I at least let you go to your school?” Pete asked Sabrina. He was ecstatic that he was finally graduating and that he looked so beautiful.
“Will you leave me alone? Dad, there’s no need. Dave, one of my friends, is coming to pick me up. I don’t want to ride in your dirty van and ruin my clothes.”
“Alright then! Have a good time darling.”
“And Dad, please don’t come, okay? I hope you don’t come. “Bye and see you later.
Pete waited for Sabrina to leave so he could quickly get ready and go to the function.
“How can I miss such an important day in my daughter’s life? I have to be there.”
Pete appeared on the scene in a moment and took the seat for the parents. He clapped when the children received their awards. He longed for Sabrina to accept hers.
The host announced, “We’re going to call Miss Sabrina Parker next!”
Phone in hand, Pete rushed forward to start shooting while Sabrina received her diploma. Sabrina was surprised to see her father, but he was overjoyed.
“Congratulations, darling!” Pete continued to shout from under the stage. “I’m so proud of you!”
However, Sabrina didn’t answer or smile.
She rather sighed and went to sit with her friends. She waited until the ceremony was over so she could be mad at her father for attending.
“Mr. Parker, may we please invite you to the stage?” said the host suddenly.
When Sabrina saw Pete come on stage she was taken aback and unsure of what was going on.
“Why is he calling my dad up on stage? Oh my God, what’s going on?”
Thanks, Mr Lauren! Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Pete started.
“Can we have a slideshow please?!”
The projector turned and the hall went dark, shocking Sabrina and the crowd. Pete created a beautiful film using photos of Sabrina from her early years to just before graduation. The day before graduation, he spoke to the principal and staff and outlined his plan to surprise his daughter. So he was given special permission to surprise Sabrina right after she received her diploma.
“My daughter is my love. I’m so proud of you, Sabrina. If your mother was here right now, I hope she’d be just as proud. Emma, ​​you can see for yourself if you happen to be here!”
You said I couldn’t raise my child alone, but right now I feel prouder than any other father could ever be. Well done, Sabrina! We did it!”
When Sabrina saw the video, she started crying. As everyone gave her father a standing ovation, she rushed over to him. She cried and hugged him and said, “Daddy, I’m so grateful! I apologize.
Pete dried his tears and continued to enjoy the rest of the evening. Sabrina remembered Pete mentioning her late mother on the way home. His remarks startled her.
“Dad, what made you say Mom would like to attend the graduation party?
How is she going to participate if she’s dead, after being gone for so long?”
Pete laughed as he looked at Sabrina.
“Honey, your mother is still alive. She lives in this town and she’s still alive.”
When Sabrina learned that her mother had died, she was taken aback. However, this was not true and Pete intended for his daughter not to know her mother’s true identity until she reached adulthood.
“How come? ARE MOM AND YOU ON A DATE? How come you didn’t tell me, Dad?”
It dawned on Pete that the moment had come to reveal the biggest secret of his life.
“Because your mother never wanted you.
She informed me of your father’s passing. She informed me that the decision to raise you or keep you in the shelter is up to me.”
As it turns out, Sabrina’s parents split up when Pete and Emma were young. Emma informed Pete that their daughter was not his before they broke up. Heartbroken, Pete decides to take care of the girl as his own.
“I couldn’t see you as another person’s child. Pete sobbed, “You were my universe and now you’re my everything.
When Sabrina heard this, she sobbed into Pete’s shoulder and threw herself into his arms.
“You’re not my real father?”
Pete hugged her back. “Honey, even though I’m not your biological father, my love for you doesn’t diminish. Ignore what I just said. No matter what happens, you will always be MY DAUGHTER.”
“I’m sorry, father. I’m ashamed of myself for causing you pain. I didn’t realize the sacrifices you made for me when I called you ‘stinky’ and ‘dirty’. If you hadn’t minded my business and raised me, what could it happen to me?
Please excuse me.
After wiping away Sabrina’s tears, Pete drove them home, where he threw a graduation party for his daughter, attended by all of his friends and neighbors.
Pete and Sabrina never talked about their history again. Remarkably, Sabrina was no longer ashamed of her father. She was proud of him and understood that despite her mother’s abandonment, he was a wonderful man who raised her with love and care.
What lessons can we learn from this story?
• Don’t feel bad about the people who gave their lives for you. Because of her job in a coal mine, Sabrina believed that her father Pete was dirty and smelly and was often ashamed of him.
It wasn’t until he came to her graduation that she realized how much her dad had sacrificed to raise her.
· Don’t bite your parents because they taught you to talk. Pete wanted to go to his daughter’s graduation party, but Sabrina politely asked him not to. She was afraid he would make fun of her appearance and paint her in a negative light.
Sabrina and Pete’s heartfelt reunion at her graduation exemplifies a profound lesson about love and sacrifice. Sabrina’s initial embarrassment and harsh words towards her father, driven by her desire to fit in and protect her social standing, gave way to a deep realization of Pete’s unwavering devotion. His surprising video presentation, filled with precious memories and heartfelt messages, revealed the extent of his commitment and love and made Sabrina confront her own prejudices and the value of family bonds.
When Sabrina learned about her mother’s absence and the sacrifices Pete had made, her perspective changed dramatically. The anger and shame she once harbored melted away, replaced by gratitude and an understanding of the true nature of her father’s love. Pete’s decision to withhold the truth about her mother until she was mature enough to understand was a testament to his desire to protect and provide for her, reinforcing the notion that family transcends biological ties.
Ultimately, Sabrina’s newfound respect and pride for her father underscored the importance of appreciating those who support and care for us, regardless of their circumstances. The story serves as a reminder to appreciate the sacrifices made by loved ones and approach them with empathy and gratitude. It also emphasizes that true worth is not defined by appearance or societal expectations but by the depth of one’s character and the love one has to offer.