A viral Facebook post by Sean Whalen has been shared by thousands after an encounter with a waitress inspired him to vulnerably pour his heart out about his parents’ divorce and where it’s led him today.
During dinner at a Chinese restaurant with his son, a revelation hit Whalen about the spiritual and physical fortitude his mother had to have to keep pressing forward as a single parent. He didn’t appreciate it so much then, but as he watched the young waitress serving them that night, the memories began to flood his mind like it was yesterday.
Sean suddenly realized what he had been missing all of these years. As a single parent himself, he now knew exactly what his mom went through, and his heart overflowed with gratitude.
His viral post about “The day his parents split up” and the inspiring chain of events that followed has warmed the hearts of thousands around the world, as it pays tribute to hard-working, God-fearing, single mamas everywhere—but especially, his own:
“The day my parents split up is forever etched in my mind.
Me and dad get into a big fight.
Me, mom and my little brother take off cause my dad is going nuts.
We stayed at a hotel that night.
When we came back the next day my dad had changed the locks.
I watched my mom plead with him through the door to let us in to get clothes, etc.
He wouldn’t.
We had to go back later that day with a police escort.
I’ll never forget the cops handing me a black trash bag saying I had 10 minutes to take the necessities.
I loaded up all the clothes I could fit into the bag, and that was the last time I ever stepped foot into the house I was raised in.
No baseball trophies.
None of my 10,000 baseball cards.
None of my stuff.
Hell, I left my pet turtle.Me, mom and my little brother moved into a little condo and didn’t have [jack].
People from the church brought over pots, pans, couches, beds and food.
My dad cashed out the bank and literally left my mom with the money in her pocket.
Not a [dang] thing she could do.
No family around.
No real support other than strangers from church.I only began to realize what mom went through working multiple jobs when I became a single parent.
I never understood when I was younger the grind and effort she put in for me and my little brother.
She hustled.
She worked her a** off to just get by.
She did everything she could so that my brother and I had everything we ever wanted.
But she worked, man.
Hard.
I still to this day don’t know how she did it.
I have no idea how she didn’t throw in the towel at times.
I would have.
I remember vividly walking past her room countless nights seeing her on her knees praying.
I can only fathom what those conversations were like between her and God.
I can only fathom the amount of tears that poured down this sweet woman’s face as she pleaded with God for a break.
I have felt some intense pain in my day.
I’ve questioned many things, but this single mom with two boys never gave up.
She never one time gave up.