Boy Receives Deceased Father's Touching 'Letter from Heaven'

Facebook/Gayle Valentine
Facebook/Gayle Valentine

Try to watch this video without crying: An 8-year-old British boy received a letter “from” his deceased father while visiting his grave on Father’s Day. The emotional moment was filmed by his mother (who wrote the letter) and it's gone viral since she posted it online this week.

On June 15, Gino Valentine and his mom, 42-year-old Gayle Valentine, visited the grave of Gino's father, Daryl, who died in January 2010 at the age of 24. Gino placed a card that read "Dad, you're the best" at the headstone, where he also found an envelope hidden underneath a heart-shaped stone and a potted plant. “What’s that beneath the stone?” asks Gayle. The letter was addressed to “Gino Valentine” and it read:

“A letter from heaven. Hi Gino, thank you for coming to see me on Father’s Day. I know you don’t remember me very well as I came here when you were only three-and-a-half but I do see you, Sophie, nanny and Granny and dad and auntie Laura all the time. Even though you can’t see me I see you are doing very well at school. You have moved to Castledown which I think was a very good idea and yes, I hear you saying bad words, sometimes when you are angry. It’s ok to be angry, but please don’t use bad words. It isn’t very nice to hear. I wanted to come and see you but I can’t ’cause it’s not allowed when we go to heaven so I sneaked a letter inside for you to read…I miss you all too. It’s good that your tummy doesn’t hurt anymore and I don’t get older like mummy does! I hope you know how much I love you Gino, I am always listening and watching you all, so don’t worry. Give nanny and granddad and auntie Laura a kiss for me please. Lots of love, Daddy.”

“I’m going to take this home with us,” Gino said.

Gayle posted the video on her Facebook page after the two returned home later that day, along with this message: “Some of you may find this video stressful: Gino taking his Fathers Day card to Daddy....he wasn't expecting this. PS. I made this public for two reasons, for family that aren't on my friends list as my profile is private & if it helps one other child or parent then I'm ok with that.” The video has racked up more than 32,000 likes and 14,000 shares and has been called "heart-tugging" and "beautiful" on Twitter.

Gayle did not return Yahoo Shine’s emails for comment.

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