The Father’s Day card that arrived in Duane Schrock Sr.’s mailbox was otherwise simple.
“Dear Dad, we haven’t been in touch for quite a while, I’m doing fine and am very happy in Richmond, I’d like to hear from you. Have a Happy Father’s Day, Love Duane.”
But for Schrock, 89, a Virginia resident, the card was a bittersweet voice from the past. His son, also named Duane, died of AIDS in 1995. Duane sent the card in 1989, years before his death, but it took 26 years for it to make its way to Schrock through the Postal Service.
The card meant all the more to Schrock because he had a tumultuous relationship with his son, since he disapproved of Duane’s homosexuality.
“I still kind of tear up when I think about it,” Schrock told ABC.
The card, though late, has renewed Schrock’s “faith in the mail service.”
“It’s like a sign from heaven,” Schrock said.
[ABC]
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Jane Fonda Champions Climate Action for Every Generation
- Biden’s Campaign Is In Trouble. Will the Turnaround Plan Work?
- Why We're Spending So Much Money Now
- The Financial Influencers Women Actually Want to Listen To
- Breaker Sunny Choi Is Heading to Paris
- Why TV Can’t Stop Making Silly Shows About Lady Journalists
- The Case for Wearing Shoes in the House
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Write to Tanya Basu at tanya.basu@time.com