My son died in an accident at 16
1. A Marriage Strained by Grief
After their sixteen-year-old son died, the narrator mourned openly while Sam went silent and buried himself in work.
His emotionless exterior created distance, each day widening “the cracks between them.”
2. Silence That Became Resentment
She begged him to talk, but he shut down.
Their opposing grieving styles hardened into misunderstanding until their marriage collapsed.
They divorced, and Sam eventually remarried.
3. A Hidden Truth
Twelve years later, Sam died suddenly. His wife revealed he had grieved intensely in secret.
The night their son died, he went to the lake where they spent time together and returned
“every night for years,” leaving flowers, talking to their son, and crying alone.
4. Discovery and Forgiveness
At the lake, the narrator found a box of letters—one for every birthday—
“tear-stained” messages Sam had written to their son.
Reading them, she realized he had carried their shared grief silently, and forgiveness finally came.
