Letter to my Son, Lt. Nathan M. Wolf

To: Lt Nathan M. Wolf, USN

Dear Nathan,

The last time I saw you in person, you were 11 years old. I remember it well because I never felt the pain of a breaking heart like I did on the trip taking you back home to your mother. Listening to you plead with me not to take you back home after your 3 week visit and hearing you cry, tore at me in an indescribable way, but we have laws and rules for a reason. I was obligated to take you home. I am sorry for how that made you feel, Nathan, I wish it could have been different.

You are 22 years old now, and a young man, an officer in the Navy. Happy Birthday Nathan, and congratulations on your enlistment as an officer in the Navy. I have been trying to keep up with you and your life in spite of efforts by others to keep us separated. You have made me so proud Nathan, that it’s hard to put it all in words. I have been proud of you every day of my life and a few of the most memorable are when you graduated High School, when I found out you started college, found out you got married to a wonderful woman, Nicole K., when I found you entered the service, and the announcement of your promotion to Lieutenant, and most importantly the day you were born.

Unfortunately everything I know about you I have learned from private investigators or with the help of your Aunt Krista. No matter what has happened or what you have been told, the thing I want you to know the most, more than anything else is that you have an entire family on my side that loves you and misses you very much and are very proud of you. The entire time you lived with your mother, everyone in our family has sent you gifts, cards, letters and hugs across the miles.We don’t know if you got anything in the last 11 years, but we do have indication that a great many things were signed for as received. We all have been trying to contact you for many years. Your Aunt Krista and Uncle Doug have done tremendous things in trying to make contact with you and their efforts are just amazing to me. Grandma and Grandpa Wolf send their love and hugs, Uncle Ron and Aunt Tina do as well and miss you a lot.

On a sad note, Your Great Grandfather Morris died August 24th, 5 days after his 88th birthday. He was a tough proud Marine and he got a full service funeral with the Marine Honor Guard at his side. Great Grandma Morris is doing as well as can be expected and is in good spirits. I know you don’t remember them because you were only 5 the last time you saw them but they have always sent their love and hopes to see you again soon. Your Great Grandfather was beaming with overwhelming pride when he found out you were an officer in the Navy.

Your cousin Mandy (Amanda), Uncle Ron and Aunt Tina’s oldest daughter, has been to Iraq 3 times in the Air Force, and is now married and living near Pensacola, Fla. Uncle Ron became a grandfather when your cousin Jenny gave birth to Peyton Emerson earlier this year, which in turn made your great grandma Morris a Great Great Grandma. Your cousin Erin, Aunt Krista and Uncle Doug’s oldest, graduated High School and College at the same time this last May. They all ask about you very often and are eager for any tidbit of news I can bring to them or Aunt Krista can find out for them.

I know there are many miles that separate you from all of us, but please know in your heart, you are always in our hearts and minds every single day and there is no less love for you from all of us than there are stars in the universe. Nathan, in the Wolf/Morris family, you are the star that shines brighter than any other star.

I miss you Nathan, I love you like no other father has loved a son before. I want you to know that, and also I want you to find your own truths in life, to find your own answers. I am here, we are all here, any time you need us for whatever reason you need us. I/we will always support whatever decisions you make and wish you the happiest marriage, life and career you can possibly have.

You are my only child, my only son and I could not be more proud of the man you have become. I am sure Nicole is the happiest woman alive because of the husband she chose, because of the man you are, but more importantly, because of who you are going to be and the love you two share.

All my blessings and all my love,

Dad

This is yet one more way I am trying to reach my son. If you would like to help me reach my son, pass this along to as many people as you can. It is my hopes that one day this letter will reach my son and we will eventually get to have the relationship we have been denied for so many years.