Dear Eric: “Jim” and I had a daughter, “Helena,” who was 12 years old when her father died of cancer. Jim and Helena were very close, and she knew that she would receive a letter from her father on every birthday until she turned 18.
When she graduated college, I surprised her with another letter. In it, Jim talked about his own college experience and said how proud he was of her. My daughter has quoted this letter many times and it is one reason she still has a sense of connection with her dad.