3 Heartbreaking Stories Where Single Parents Faced the Worst

Think about the worries every single parent goes through, and you’ll sympathize with the following stories. We’ve got a dad on a detective quest, a mom’s spooky night of no-kids-at-home, and a plane ride that goes from noisy to nice. Clearly, raising a child alone isn’t easy.

Anything can happen when you start a family, and trying to parent even grown kids can become a huge pain. In these tales, a father has to find his missing daughter and can’t believe what he encountered on his quest, a mother returns home to an empty place after trusting a neighbor, and another father learns that humanity is much better than he imagined, even on a plane. Let’s find out more!

I sat at my grand dining table, eating mechanically while glancing at my phone frequently. I was waiting for a response from Catherine, my daughter, who hadn’t answered my calls for three days. Sighing, I redialed her number, only to be met with silence.

Gazing at a photo of my late wife, Caroline, I mused, “My dear Caroline. If only you were around, you could help Catherine and me find a common language.”

The loss of Caroline had deepened the rift between Catherine and me, especially since I had immersed myself in work to cope with the grief. I remembered my recent call with her, though. I had excitedly offered her a job opportunity through a businessman friend after she finished university.

However, Catherine wasn’t happy. “You’re deciding my fate for me again!” she’d exclaimed. “I never wanted to go to that university. You know I always wanted to dance, to follow my passion. But you made me give it up, forced me into a life I never chose!”

With that, she hung up, leaving me to grapple with the reality of our strained relationship.

Feeling a deep sense of loss and realizing how little I knew about Catherine’s life and dreams, I now called my business partner, Alan, for any information.

“I’m a bit worried about Catherine,” I said on the phone. “She hasn’t been answering my calls. Have you seen her? You’re overseeing operations in the same town where she’s studying, so I’m assuming you might have crossed paths.”

“I haven’t seen Catherine for a while, Peter,” Alan responded. “She’s pretty independent, you know. If I hear anything, I’ll let you know.”

“Thanks, Alan. I appreciate it.”

I ended the call, feeling...