Christopher was just 3 years of age and largely oblivious to the impending tragedy when, on August 11th of 1991, his dad wrote him this heartbreaking farewell letter. The next year, his father passed away after losing a battle with leukemia. He was 38-years-old.
Transcript follows.
(Source: Christopher; used with permission. Many thanks to Alec Couros for bringing it to my attention.)
Transcript
August 11, 1991
Dear Christopher,
I’m writing this note to you now because I don’t know what the future holds for me. I want you to forgive me for being sick and not being able to be there for you when and if you need me, but I want you to know one thing above all else. I love you so much that I can’t describe the feelings that I’m going through.
I want you to grow up and be a success at whatever you attempt to do. The time that I did spend with you was a wonderful and enjoyable time in my life and you helped make it that way. This letter is very hard for me to write because I keep starting to cry, knowing that I will not be here when you are reading this. The sadness keeps overwhelming me and tears are flowing down my face. I’m so very proud of you and you have shown me just how smart you are already. I expect you to grow and be able to use your head to think things out and to be able to ask questions if you don’t understand something.
Above all else I need to know that you will always be there for your Mother and your sister. Your family is more important to you than anything else in this world. I know that there will be times that you get upset with Mom for not letting you do something that you want to do, but she does really know what is best for you. Listen to her and learn from her advice.
I’ve left you all my tools and tool boxs and other neat stuff. I hope that you use them wisely and safely, tools can hurt you very bad. I’ve worked with my hands building things or repairing things all my life and I’ve found out that I enjoy it very much. Most of the tools that I own where bought for working on German-built cars, Audi’s, Porsche’s, Volkswagen’s, and Mercedes-Benz’s. Although I’ve worked on anything and everything I made most of my money on German cars. Again I wish you luck and safety in whatever you decide to do for a living.
I want you to face life and the problems that it gives you with a positive outlook, because if you think of the bright things in life, it makes the bad things not so bad after all! You are a beautiful and smart boy and I wish you all the luck and good fortune a person could ever want or need. I am sitting here typing this letter to you and you are right next to me shooting your bow and arrow that you got yesterday at Storybook Land. Christopher, please just always remember that I LOVE YOU more than anything in this whole world, and even if I’m not with you, you are always and forever in my heart and mind.
If at all possible Chris, I will always be with you. You are my Life. I LOVE YOU. Good Bye, Son.
Your Dad,
(Signed)
I love you!