I used to fake being asleep so my dad would carry me to bed. Last night, I did it for him.

r/

When I was a kid, I’d stay up late on the couch watching TV with my dad. I always pretended to fall asleep, even when I wasn’t tired, just so he would carry me to bed. There was something magical about those moments the way he’d gently scoop me up, the smell of his flannel shirt, the safe rhythm of his steps.

He never called me out on it. He always just picked me up.

Time flew by. I grew up, moved out, built my own life. My dad started getting older, slower… until one day, he didn’t really leave the couch much at all.

Last night, I visited him after work. He was dozing off mid-conversation, TV still on. He looked peaceful, but tired in a way I hadn’t seen before. I quietly turned off the TV, covered him with a blanket, and just stood there for a second.

Then I scooped him up. Carried him to bed, just like he used to do for me.

He half-woke and whispered, “You always were good at pretending to be asleep.”

I laughed. He remembered.

I don’t know how many more times I’ll get to do that. But I’ll carry him as long as I can.

Comments

  1. HotMessiaah Avatar

    This hit me right in the heart. What a beautiful, full-circle moment. The love between a parent and child really never fades it just changes shape over time. Thank you for sharing this.

  2. peachlyghost Avatar

    This is making me miss my dad so much. I’m crying

  3. No-Contest-6055 Avatar

    It’s because of things like this post that I have Reddit. Beautiful. I’ll do it too for my parents, grandparents, siblings, friends… my whole family. It touched my heart, OP.

  4. AggressiveGur7190 Avatar

    There’s something sacred about the quiet ways we repay the love we were given. This gave me chills what a beautiful, silent promise between you two.

  5. Efficient_Cry_7444 Avatar

    It’s strange how we spend our childhood needing them, and adulthood realizing they needed us too. Beautiful moment.

  6. mykneescrack Avatar

    I used to pretend to be asleep on the couch so my father would carry me, too. He passed away some years ago now. He was so kind and loving. I only hope he felt it back.

  7. lucygoosey38 Avatar

    Right out of the I love you forever book! 🥹

  8. Mean_Negotiation5932 Avatar

    I’m crying OP, thank you for that. Missing my dad, I just had a dream of him last week.

  9. sushi_coven Avatar

    I really loved this too! I must have felt so great to return the favor! Sadly my dad passed away last september, maybe my brother would have been strong enough to pick him up haha. He was strong and had too much muscle from the hard work he did everyday.
    I wish i could turn back the time to be a child again and would be carried to bed. Your Story made me really happy and sad at the same time.

    Thank you for sharing this perfect moment!

  10. Shelly_895 Avatar

    That actually made me tear up a little. Thank you for sharing this with us. Very beautiful.

  11. Commitedtousername Avatar

    Have you ever read the children’s story “Love you forever”? You might like it.

  12. Gdfjaaok Avatar

    Enjoy these moments!
    My dad and I would always arm wrestled and I remember saying that the day I was stronger than my dad I would officially be a grown up. At 36 I finally won! I lost him less than a year later and wish I never played that last game

  13. D4v3ca Avatar

    As someone who honestly only had his dad as a positive anything in this world, I truly hope you enjoy these moments

    Truly wished I had more time with mine

  14. Unlucky-Reality9991 Avatar

    I just realized now how much I miss my dad from the time he used to pick me up from school. I really miss him a lot.

  15. MagentaHigh1 Avatar

    Damn.
    Now I’m crying.

    Thank you for sharing this.

  16. knightstalker1288 Avatar

    This reminds me of the book “I love you forever”. Quite traumatic I recommend not reading unless you want to cry.

  17. Bubbles69_ Avatar

    This made me well up. How wholesome 🥺

  18. Sewing-Mama Avatar

    This reminds me of the children’s book, “Love you forever.” If you’ve never read it, you need to buy it asap.

    Warning: you’ll cry.

  19. infinite_awkward Avatar

    Zapped me right back to reading “I’ll Love You Forever” to my sweet babies, through streaming tears and emotions.

    Six grandkids later and I still can’t make it through.

    Stay blessed, friends.

  20. ConfuseableFraggle Avatar

    Got me teary-eyed. Beautiful. Thanks for sharing such a warm moment.

  21. quokka1502 Avatar

    Nice to see people out there having parents that actually loved them and still do

  22. somethingreddity Avatar

    Okay I’m tearing up at the YMCA. This is so sweet.

  23. PinkMies Avatar

    This is love. ❤️
    I can’t scoop up my dad. But I wish I could. Although he wouldn’t let me 😉
    I see him getting older, his body not working the way he wants anymore. But also his mind.
    He is still here, and I love him with all my heart. I hope he will stay for a while longer

  24. imchocolatta Avatar

    Thanks for sharing such a lovely moment. I usually find sad stories here and this was perfect to start my day. I hope you get to keep carrying your dad and having wonderful moments with him for a long time.

  25. ddicks1874 Avatar

    Fucking hell mate, gives a bit of warning eh.
    Make sure you cherish every moment.

  26. graycie23 Avatar

    I’m not crying… you are!

    My(39f) dad died 3 years ago. It’s a reality that’s inevitable, shitty nonetheless. Nothing prepares you for a world where what you’ve always known doesn’t exist.

  27. AnyaInCrisis Avatar

    This is so sweet 🥹

  28. Jazzur Avatar

    Thank you for this. Man I miss my Dad 🙁

  29. zooj7809 Avatar

    I just lost my dad. Love him as much as you can.

  30. rando_girl007 Avatar

    Right in the feels, OP. Thank you for sharing this lovely story. Much love to you and your dad. 🫶🏾🫶🏾🫶🏾

  31. jax_in_yo_crack Avatar

    This is just like the book “I’ll Love You Forever”. What a very sweet relationship you have with your father!

  32. BloomNurseRN Avatar

    I love this more than I can say. My dad died when he was in his 40’s and I was only in my 20’s. I hope, more than anything, that my son will one day have this type of moment with his dad. ♥️ Thank you for sharing.

  33. Guacamole_is_Life Avatar

    This is so sweet and my eyes are tearing up.

  34. sybil101 Avatar

    Wasn’t expecting to boo-who my eyes out today…but here I am. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful experience. 🤍

  35. slvttyaltbruentte Avatar

    Man, this got me right in the gut. My dad has ALS and won’t be here much longer. Thank you for sharing this. 🩷

  36. torbabayaga Avatar

    Such a touching story. Thanks for the feel good of the day

  37. Mike Avatar

    Are you a professional power lifter? How could you scoop up a grown man and carry him to bed? I’m a 6‘4“ 200 lb dude and there’s no way i could scoop up someone like that… This makes no sense.

  38. Ja-Kathra Avatar

    Thank you for making my day. It’s nice to know love like this actually exists in the world

  39. Sea_Negotiation_1871 Avatar

    “I’ll love you forever. I’ll like you for always. As long as I’m living, my baby, you’ll be.”

  40. EmyLouSue Avatar

    “As long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be”

  41. joelseph Avatar

    I got a meeting in 4 minutes fuuu

  42. akshetty2994 Avatar

    >He half-woke and whispered, “You always were good at pretending to be asleep.”

    >I laughed. He remembered.

    Fuck that got me. I was just laughing with my own parents about how I used to fake being half asleep from long car rides to get that VIP service. Cherish what time you have with him, cheers OP. Ty for sharing.

  43. stanfan114 Avatar

    Well this wouldn’t be the first time Chat GPT made me cry.

  44. mrschester Avatar

    i’ll love you forever 💗

  45. dont-touch-my-tots Avatar

    Oh my gosh that made me cry. Such a touching moment I know you’ll both get to carry with you forever. Love truly prevails. Thank you for sharing, I think I’m gonna hug my dad every right next time I see him. 💜

  46. chama5518 Avatar

    You can’t have me crying in a pizzeria on a Monday. 🥺🥺🥺🥹🥹🥹🥹

  47. Jesusiseternalgod Avatar

    I saw a post like this before

  48. Whole-Neighborhood Avatar

    Now I’m crying 😭

  49. PastorBeard Avatar

    This is why we lift

    Carrying groceries, lifting family members

  50. trxshbxnnyy Avatar

    i used to fall asleep in the car rides whenever we would go out and my dad would carry me and my mom would carry my sister even if we faked being asleep, simple times.

  51. wanksta616 Avatar

    OP what the hell.. I didn’t want to cry today and you went and ruined that.

  52. strangebru Avatar

    Hell yeah you will.

  53. Accomplished_Yard179 Avatar

    Gosh this got me 😢 love that you did this for him

  54. weallfloatdown Avatar

    Used to pretend to sleep so my brother would carry me to bed. So now I’m crying

  55. get-off-of-my-lawn Avatar

    Don’t mind me just cutting a truckload of onions over here.

    Stay blessed, OP 🤙

  56. Trix2021 Avatar

    Thank you for making me cry. And thank you for sharing a beautiful moment.

  57. Readsumthing Avatar

    You brought back such a sweet memory for me. My dad worked second shift when I was really little and I’d often sleep with my mom till he got home. He’d carry me into my own bed. I’d often be awake and pretend to be asleep just so I could have that snuggle, safe, wonderful feeling.

    In my teens it came up that he knew I was awake and I It took me ages to figure out that he could tell the difference by a snuggle bug and a limp body. Lol. Thanks for the memory. I sure miss my dad.

  58. PM_those_toes Avatar

    This reads like “Love You Forever”

  59. Consistent_Ferret433 Avatar

    This is lovely. I lost my dad recently and towards the end he wasn’t able to walk and I wish I had been physically strong enough to carry him. It’s a blessing and a privilege to have loving parents and I hope you have many more good years with your dad.

  60. AShamAndALie Avatar

    How dare you make me cry at work.

    Ill never see my dad get old. I miss him.

  61. waspocracy Avatar

    This is sweet. I can’t imagine doing this to my dad because he’s massive. Twice my weight and half a foot taller.

  62. eggbert97 Avatar

    okay this is definitely ai. a 4 day old account with 3 posts and you are allegedly 24F but you scooped him up no issue? a grown man? okay. and this is straight from a children’s book, be fr.

  63. MrHamster2u Avatar

    and for many years after he is gone.

  64. IBoopDSnoot Avatar

    Thanks for making me cry OP. I used to do the same thing and have very fond memories of that. But my family started falling apart when I was 13. All I wanted was to go back to a time where I at least thought I had a normal, loving family. Now the damage has been done, it’s a bit too late, and I’ll never have a normal, healthy, loving relationship with my parents. I really hope I won’t regret this too much when they’re gone.

    I have memories of the good times but the bad times sadly stand out more.

  65. IWearCleanUnderpants Avatar

    I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, as long as I’m living my baby you’ll be 😭😭❤️

  66. OldManFire11 Avatar

    There comes a day in every parent’s life when they put their kid down, and never pick them up again.

  67. Brilliant_Kiwi1793 Avatar

    Absolutely beautiful

  68. deathproofbich Avatar

    “Love you forever” by Robert Munsch popped into my head when I read this. Then I bawled. Both of my parents have passed, helping mom to bed is one of my last memories with her.

  69. broken1373 Avatar

    In tears…I just left my Mamaw’s house after visiting for the week. She is no longer mobile and I did all the stuff. I live a few states away, so spending that time with her meant the world to me. I would 100% do it everyday, all day, if I could. She cared for us (and our uncle with cerebral palsy) with everything she has and I love her beyond words.

  70. lynellparedez Avatar

    I like this story because my son does this. I knew one day I was gonna miss carrying him to bed. He’s was terrible at pretending. He always smiled with his eyes closed as I carried him.

  71. Greflin Avatar

    I miss my dad. 2 years ago this March. A week before he passed I carried him from his chair to his car so he could be rushed to the hospital. This post broke me for a bit.

  72. Fanciunicorn Avatar

    If you enjoyed this AI-written story, then you will love the book written by a human with real emotions. I highly suggest supporting your local library and borrowing Love You Forever by Robert Munsch.

  73. TheDevilsAdvokaat Avatar

    I laughed. What an awesome memory.

    I used to read my daughter to sleep when she was small.

    Now she’s 18 and sometimes she reads ME to sleep.

  74. BardicLasher Avatar

    …How big are you?!!? How big is your dad? Do you work out?!? You’ve got a previous post saying you’re 24F but dads tend to be HEAVY.

  75. Rufio_hatake Avatar

    I love you forever, I like you for always, as long as I’m living my baby you’ll be

  76. Lion_tattoo_1973 Avatar

    This is sooo sweet! My dad passed away when I was 14, but I still have fond memories of him carrying me to bed while I pretended to be asleep. I have 3 adult kids, and would always carry them up to bed when they were little

  77. ExtremelyMedianVoter Avatar

    I hope my kids remember me carrying them off to bed and giving them hugs and kisses in bed.

    It’s important to me that they always remember they’re loved.

    Oh nevermind, this is just AI farming engagement. Consider my heartstrings unpulled.

  78. pdxwestside Avatar

    Your post chokes me up. Thank you for sharing. I’m going to call my dad now.

  79. StabbyMcTickles Avatar

    “I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, as long as you’re living, my baby you’ll be.”

  80. fishhead20 Avatar

    Fuck, my chest hurts.

  81. BlackHoleWhiteDwarf Avatar

    I don’t know. I think it’s kind of weird to do this to an adult. Leave them be on the couch. Also, physically, how? No chance I could lift my dad off the couch and he’s like 170 lb tops?

    This also reads like an AI prompt.

  82. _the_Doll Avatar

    Reminds me so much of one of my favorite books as a very young child- Love You Forever by Robert Munsch!

  83. ThatRedheadMom Avatar

    I love this!! What an amazing full circle moment!

  84. bibilime Avatar

    I will never complain about carrying my pretend sleeping kid to bed again. Omg…in tears right now.

  85. Strawberry_Cactus18 Avatar

    This is so beautiful! Absolutely tearing! Sending love x

  86. phold3n Avatar

    Damn. This hit hard.

  87. shining89 Avatar

    That is beautiful

  88. Capable-Complaint646 Avatar

    Who the fuck is cutting onions??

  89. apeezy18 Avatar

    This is that book. The one that we all read in kindergarten. The one that made us realize one day our parents will be gone.

  90. Bad_Idea_Hat Avatar

    One of my kids has done the “pretend to be asleep” thing for years now, and she’s at the point where she’s too big for me to carry. It’s kind of a sad moment.

  91. No_Cryptographer5870 Avatar

    This just got me sobbing. My mom used to read me a book about a mom who used to always carry her son to bed even when she got bigger than him, and one day when she was old and frail he carried her to bed. ‘Love you forever’ I think.

  92. Lornainpixels Avatar

    Bro I came here to waste time not to start sobbing in the middle of a Wendy’s drive-thru.

  93. tdani3 Avatar

    This is success. Being such a good parent that your child will now carry you. Bigger than money or fame. This is the best we can ever hope for.

  94. Bakkie Avatar

    My father passed just on 2 years ago. I miss him a lot. He was 93

  95. alwaysneverjoshin Avatar

    One day, your parents picked you up and set you down — and neither of you knew it was the last time

  96. CeramicSavage Avatar

    This was so beautiful. I’m tearing up. What a lovely memory to make.

  97. Bister_Mungle Avatar

    now you must carry Madame Zeroni to bed.

  98. therealmrsfahrenheit Avatar

    actually made me tear up not gonna lie

  99. sh0rtcake Avatar

    Makes me think of the kids book that can’t be mentioned without full tears. So sweet. Thank you for sharing this.

  100. Purple_Konata Avatar

    This is the sweetest thing. You’re making me cry lol. Cherish the time you have left with your dad. He’s a treasure and so are you.

  101. thr0waway2435 Avatar

    Can’t lie, I shed a few tears from this

  102. stephbk123 Avatar

    That is so sweet, I did the exact same thing when I was young with my mum 🥹 you’re a good kid

  103. xflashbackxbrd Avatar

    Reminds me of Love You Forever by Robert Munsch. Impossible to finish without crying.

  104. Mountain_Day7532 Avatar

    How incredibly sweet.

  105. AlternativePrior9559 Avatar

    This resonates so much and had me in tears. What an amazing bond between the two of you. Thank you for sharing the story it’s the best of humanity. The world needs much more of it.

  106. CultureImaginary8750 Avatar

    I love this so much!!! This is wholesome AF.

    Gonna hug my dad a little tighter next time I see him

  107. FunkyChewbacca Avatar

    My mom died in March. The last five or six months of her life her health deteriorated rapidly and every weekend was spent driving down to one hospital or another. In the last week, my brother and I helped our mom use the bathroom (then later bedpan), helped clean her and dress her, the exact things she’d done for us.

    It was really hard to do and every moment of it I wanted to scream and cry in agony, but now I’m glad I did it. You’ll be glad too.

  108. quornmol Avatar

    im really trying hard not to cry because i used to do this as a kid with my mom. the idea of me one day doing it for it is making me cry. like this is so sweet and heartwarming

  109. biblio-ash Avatar

    Dang this brought the water works 😭

  110. scratch_sniff_whiff Avatar

    Oh man, that’s beautiful and hits hard. I miss my folks so much.

    Grab these moments. Never let go of them, never forget them, and cherish whatever time you can spend with your dad.

  111. 1eahpar Avatar

    This shit fake af lol

  112. FranksBestToeKnife Avatar

    Beautiful. I used to do that to, but never got to carry my Dad. 

    He was built like a god damn bull, and I grew up slim like Mam, so had the opportunity arose it would have been an absolute disaster.

    Thanks for sharing that mate, it really warmed my heart.

  113. SuperPetty-2305 Avatar

    What a beautiful story. I miss my dad and wish I got more moments like this with him. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful story.

  114. ragu4545 Avatar

    This is sweet. I used to pretend to fall asleep in the car, on the way back home, so my mother wouldn’t beat my ass for misbehaving at family gatherings.

  115. dumbxxscumxx Avatar

    I’m actually sobbing, this was such a beautiful and heartwarming connection 🥹

  116. Acceptable-Alarm-796 Avatar

    It’s a terrible day for rain

  117. No-Bug-9180 Avatar

    the childrens book “love you forever” is basically this same story, about a child whose mothers sings a loving song to her infant and when she is eldery and passing her child comes and sings her the song. good book, good story.

  118. Schmaron Avatar

    Dammit. Now I’m crying. This is absolutely precious.

  119. Battersea53 Avatar

    That’s the most touching thing ever. he is a very lucky man.

  120. I_love_my_fish_ Avatar

    Why do i feel like he had a weird mixture of emotions, feeling happy yet sad, happy you care about him enough to literally carry him to bed, sad that he can no longer always do it himself

  121. stacibaby Avatar

    I’ll love you forever I’ll like you for always as long as I’m with you my daddy you’ll be 😭😭😭

  122. TossInTheBinBinBin Avatar

    I think about getting old and my kids having to worry about me. My thought immediately is “I never want to burden my kids with everything” and then dark thoughts.

    Your post made me re-assess those dark thoughts. Thank you.

  123. RonnieDeVille Avatar

    As someone who misses their dad more then anything. I’m so glad you’re getting to have lovely moments like this

  124. Aviation_nut63 Avatar

    Enjoy those moments while you can.

  125. paixaoehmato Avatar

    Enjoy these moments op ❤️

  126. ItzLog Avatar

    I think you’d like this book

  127. Schreindogg Avatar

    “I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, As long as I’m living my baby you’ll be.”

  128. Feisty-Equivalent-92 Avatar

    That brought tears to my eyes. Such a sweet relationship with your dad. Wishing the both of you the best

  129. Big_Pomegranate4804 Avatar

    He showed up…. So you show up. Cheers

  130. fliphaskids Avatar

    Fuck you for making me cry. My kid refuses to go to bed every other day just so he can stay up with me so this hit right in the feels.

  131. krowrofefas Avatar

    Sounds like the plot to Robert Munchs Love You Forever.

  132. Plus-Construction29 Avatar

    Reminds of the book like “I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, as long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be”😭😭 it was a picture book I always read growing up

  133. Funozs Avatar

    Aww this made me tear up. What a beautiful relationship you have with your dad.

  134. dummypanda0 Avatar

    Crying for a stranger wasn’t on my list today but here we go. Hugs

  135. Metagion Avatar

    Damn those ninjas cutting onions! AND I’m at work, too!!!

  136. PerkyLar1228 Avatar

    I’m not crying right now…. I’m not crying right now…. 😭😭😭😭😭❤️❤️