A woman who was kicked out of her wealthy father’s house at sixteen for marrying a poor man ended up living on the streets with her four children after her husband passed away.
Steve Walton was not happy when his butler informed him that Pastor Morris was waiting to see him. After a long flight from Singapore, he was tired and not interested in hearing the pastor’s lectures or requests for community support.
He had the pastor brought in and, showing his impatience, said, “Get on with it, man! What do you want this time?”
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Mr. Walton, I saw Susan,” the pastor said quietly. Steve’s heart nearly stopped. His only daughter had left his house nearly fifteen years ago, and he hadn’t seen her since.
“Susan?” Steve asked anxiously. “Where? When? How is she?”
“I was in Los Angeles, helping out a friend with a mission for the homeless, and that’s where I saw her,” the pastor explained.
“Was she volunteering? Did you tell her I’ve been looking for her?” Steve asked.
“No,” Pastor Morris replied gently. “She wasn’t a volunteer, Mr. Walton. She’s homeless. She and her children are living in a car.”
Steve felt so dizzy he had to sit down. “Homeless? My Susan? With children?” he gasped.
“I’m afraid so,” the pastor said. “And she wouldn’t even listen to me when I told her to come home.”
“But why?” Steve asked angrily. “She’s not still with that loser, is she?”
“Her husband passed away three years ago, Mr. Walton,” the pastor explained. “She told me she wouldn’t bring her children into a house where their father was hated.”
Steve Walton felt a wave of old rage sweep over him. Even fifteen years later, Susan was still defying him! He remembered the scene in his study, and how Susan had looked him in the eyes as he ranted.
“Pregnant at sixteen, and by the GARDENER!” he had screamed. “We are going to have THAT taken care of, and HE’S fired! You will never see that man again!”
“THAT is my baby, daddy,” Susan had said with a trembling voice. “And HE is the man I love. I’m going to marry him.”
“You marry that man and you’re on your own, Susan, do you hear?” Steve shouted furiously. “No more money, nothing! You marry him and you get out of my house!”
Susan had looked at him with tears in her eyes. “I love you, daddy,” she said. Then she turned and walked away. Despite hiring detectives to find her, no one had been able to trace her.
“How many children?” Steve asked Pastor Morris.
“Four,” the pastor replied. “Three girls and a boy. Beautiful children.”
Steve picked up his phone and demanded that his plane be prepared. “Pastor, would you come with me to Los Angeles and take me to my little girl?” he asked quietly.
The pastor nodded, and within two hours, he and Steve were on Steve’s private jet heading south. When they landed, a limo was waiting to take them to a parking lot outside a large mall.
At the far end of the lot, they found a pickup truck with a tent set up in the back. Pastor Morris had told Steve that after Susan’s husband died in a work accident, the insurance company refused to pay out, and the bank foreclosed on their home.
Susan had packed her children and their few belongings into the old pickup. She worked as a cleaner at the mall and used the mall’s facilities. She also bought leftover food from the restaurants at the end of the day.
Despite everything, Susan managed to keep her four children fed, clean, and in school. As Steve and the pastor approached the truck, they heard cheerful voices and laughter. Two children tumbled out of the back, excited to see them.
The oldest girl, around fourteen, was laughing as she tickled a boy of about seven. When Steve and Pastor Morris approached, the children stopped and stared.
“Mom!” the girl shouted. “That old preacher friend of yours is here!”
From inside the tent, a familiar voice asked, “Preacher Morris?” Susan then emerged, and Steve saw the shock on her face when she saw him standing next to the pastor.
“Daddy?” she asked, tears welling up in her eyes.
Steve was taken aback. His daughter was only thirty-one, but she looked much older. Her face was lined with worry and hardship, and her hands were rough from hard work.
“Susan,” Steve cried. “Look at you! Look at what HE did to my princess! I wanted so much more for you! And you married that loser! What could he have given you? Poverty?”
Susan shook her head and said, “He loved me, Daddy, and he gave me four beautiful children. He passed away, and I had nowhere to go, but I’ve done my best for my kids. I will always love their father, just like I’ve always loved you.”
Steve found tears streaming down his face. “Forgive me, Susan,” he sobbed. “Please forgive me. Come home, I want you all to come home with me. Let me help you take care of the children!”
As Steve held his weeping daughter, he knew that everything would be alright. Susan introduced him to his three granddaughters and then placed her hand on the boy’s shoulder. “And this,” she smiled, “is little Stevie!”
“You named him after me?” Steve asked, amazed. “After what I did?”
Susan looked at her father and said softly, “I love you, Daddy. Don’t you know that?”
That afternoon, they all flew back to Texas together. It marked the start of a new, better life for the whole family.
What can we learn from this story?
– **Love Your Children Unconditionally:** Steve’s anger at Susan for loving someone poor led him to lose his daughter. Accept your children no matter who they love.
– **Don’t Judge People by Wealth:** Steve didn’t like Susan’s husband because he was poor, but he was a loving and dedicated father. Don’t judge people by their money or status.
Share this story with your friends. It might bring them hope and inspiration.
Mom Influencer Names Daughter After Disney Character—See Why the Internet Can’t Stop Talking
Choosing a name for your child is a big deal. The name you pick can shape how people see them and how they are treated for their whole life. While many parents go for classic names like Elizabeth or William, some are picking more modern or unusual names. Recently, a social media influencer named her daughter after a Disney character, and people online have mixed feelings about it.
Indy Clinton is an Australian fitness and lifestyle blogger with over 600,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok. She lives in Sydney with her husband, son, and daughter. When her daughter was born last year, her fans were excited. However, some people questioned her choice of name when she revealed that she named her daughter after a Disney character. In the end, she chose the name Bambi, even though she originally considered Paloma, which means Dove in Spanish.
Indy is no stranger to unique names—her son’s name is Navy. But the name she chose for her daughter, Bambi, surprised many fans. Indy shared, “We were set on calling her Paloma at first. That was her name, and nothing was going to change that. But one night, while reading a book to Navy, I suddenly thought, ‘What about Bambi?’ And from then on, it stuck.”
The story of Bambi is both heartbreaking and uplifting. It’s about a baby deer whose mother dies, and after a few tough moments, the story turns into one of friendship and adventure.
Unsurprisingly, fans were divided over the name choice. Some questioned Indy’s decision, with one person commenting, “Imagine being an adult named this. These baby names are mad these days.” Another person wrote, “Are you naming humans that will be adults one day? Or kittens?”
A third person thoughtfully pointed out, “Kids can be cruel. A unique name isn’t something to shy away from, but a name tied to a character might not be ideal for your child.” They added that being named after a Disney character in middle school could be challenging.
Alternatively, some fans defended Indy’s choice. “People need to shut it. She can name her baby anything she wants. I think it’s adorable,” wrote one supportive follower. Another added, “Congratulations! It’s a wonderful name for your baby.”
“So happy, love the name,” a third person commented.
Indy explained that she’s always loved the story of Bambi, even as a little girl. Seeing her daughter’s “sweet, curious nature, and big brown eyes” made the name feel like a perfect fit. She also noted that while opinions are split, “unique names are the new trend.”
Interestingly, Bambi is derived from the Italian word “bambino,” which means child or baby. In the Disney film and books, Bambi is a male character. This creative choice might make Bambi a popular gender-neutral name in the future. For example, reality star Molly-Mae Hague also named her daughter Bambi, though it’s unclear if she chose the name because of the Disney character or simply because she liked it.
Interestingly, Bambi isn’t the only Disney character whose name has become popular for real-life people. Several Disney characters have everyday names. For instance, the dog from *The Little Mermaid* is named Max. Additionally, many characters from *Frozen* have names that are common in Scandinavia. Elsa, for example, is often short for Elizabeth, and Olaf means “heir” in Scandinavian languages.
*The Princess and the Frog* is a heartwarming story about a Black woman named Tiana who works hard to achieve her dream of opening a restaurant, despite the challenges she faced growing up. Interestingly, according to Babynames.com, the name Tiana has Slavic origins. Regardless of its roots, Tiana has been a popular name in the U.S., consistently appearing in the top 1,000 baby names since the 1970s.
Aurora is a Latin name that originally referred to the “Roman Goddess of the Dawn.” It’s a beautiful name that symbolizes powerful feminine energy and the splendor of the night sky.
Merida is another Disney character with a name that works well in real life. The character herself is Scottish, but the name Merida is thought to have Celtic or Spanish origins.
Chip is the name of a charming and lovable chipmunk, as well as a little boy turned into a teacup in *Beauty and the Beast*. It’s an English name derived from Charles but isn’t as popular today. Despite this, Bambi, which is becoming a popular choice for baby girls, is seen as a gender-neutral name.
Indy, known for being a super mom, announced her third pregnancy just months after Bambi was born. As a social media influencer, she skillfully balances her roles as a mother, wife, and a role model for women everywhere.
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