Parenting is never easy. But it is even more difficult for single parents. Juggling between the multiple responsibilities to be the mother as well as the father, these single parents need to be celebrated.
Here’s the heart-touching story of a single father – who, after losing his wife to sudden brain stroke, put a stone on his aching heart for his daughters. Recently, one of his daughters shared how this dad gathered all his strength to turn himself into their moms too.
While mentioning how she lost her mother, this daughter shared with HOB:
“In 2017, mom died of an unexpected brain stroke. I fell unconscious after dad told us–it happened while I was at work and my sister, Tania, was in college. I’d never seen dad so miserable–he couldn’t stop crying. Within a year, everything changed. I moved back home with dad after completing my internship, while Tania finished college.
Initially, we closed ourselves off to everyone. Dad barely ate, and stopped eating sweets–He lost 10 Kgs that year. We were all in pain, but dad put a stone on his heart, and took over.
For the time Tania and I were away, he’d visit us every weekend, and call us 3-4 times a day to check up on us. He hated going out, still when he visited us, he’d take us out for dinners and movies. I made him try his first pasta at my favourite restaurant.”
She further added how from making tea to tracking her periods, this single dad did every mom thing:
“Now, we’re all finally living together. Some days, he tries his hand at breakfast. It usually doesn’t work out well and he still can’t make a proper cup of tea, but Tania and I drink it anyway. Once during an exam he gave me a cup of Bournvita mixed with cashews. He claimed it would help me stay up! But his speciality is masala Chaas– our friends love coming over to drink it and gossip with him!
But the most ‘mom’ thing he’s done so far is to keep track of my period. He tells me not to exercise too hard then and gives me back massages when I have cramps.
Also, if I’m texting, he pops up from behind and asks questions he’d never ask before- ‘Do you like someone?’ ‘Can I meet him?’ We tell him everything– he’s super chill about it.
Recently, I failed my CA thrice–I was miserable. Every time, he said to me, ‘we’ll do it together next time.’ Now, he’s made a study schedule for me the way mom would and nags me until I follow it.
But honestly, I still haven’t processed that mom’s gone; I don’t think any of us have. We have our weak days, where we break down and can’t take it. But dad has left us short of nothing– in these 3 years he’s given us his all. I know his heart cries every day, but he tries to hide it from us. Tania and I will help him heal and he will because he’s strong; It takes the strongest dad to be a mother too.”
At IFORHER, we applaud this father’s strength. He raised his daughters with all the love and care. His story of becoming a father as well as a mother to his daughters is quite an inspiration for all of us.
