Community searching for boy who sent dead dad a letter and Christmas list by balloon https://t.co/mIezWr0cKS pic.twitter.com/tZLakgNwkW
— Bournemouthecho (@Bournemouthecho) December 14, 2016
A heartbreaking letter written by a child and sent to his late father was found attached to a blue balloon in a field in Dunfermline, Scotland, on Monday, December 12.
Stuart McColl, the man who discovered the note while walking his dog, posted it to his Facebook page in hopes of tracking down the child. “This was just too sad to ignore. I’ve never done anything like this before, but it’s a really tragic story, so it would be great to do something to help this person who is having such a tough time,” he told the U.K.’s Dunfermline Press on December 13.
The wish list — dated December 1 — reads in full:
"Hi dad, Just writing you a letter to tell you I’m missing you and tell you news! I’m sure you know I’m in foster care cause mom is sick and my ear is blocked from Monday. Tomorrow we’re leaving. I really miss school and you. I know are up in heaven but are you safe? Oh ya before I go here’s my dream and xmas list.
My dream is for you my daddy to put a note under my pillow that you wrote. My xmas list: boots/studs, Astros, rebounder net, new Premier League ball, Real Madrid kit.
Bye daddy I love you."
McColl has been blown away by the response. “It’s a bit of an ambitious thing to do, but the story seems to have touched quite a few people already,” the 30-year-old photographer told the paper. “Everyone’s getting involved and we’ve already had people wanting to donate to get these gifts."
He continued, “But we just need to find the person who wrote this note. It’s quite a unique story so hopefully someone knows something.”