A impoverished nurse chose to care for her four elderly neighbors after finding they could only rely on each other for domestic duties. After the last neighbor ᴅɪᴇs, the nurse discovers the will that they left behind.
Cassandra Myers was a low-income nurse who worked at a local hospital. Although nurses are normally well compensated in America, the majority of Cassandra’s salary went toward paying off her late parents’ loans, leaving her with just enough to survive by.
Cassandra lived at her ancestral home, which was located in a peaceful neighborhood. Her next-door neighbors were four elderly siblings, all in their eighties.
Cassandra would often watch the siblings struggling with their daily responsibilities. In their old age, they had to bring their groceries, clean their house and yard, take out the trash, and cook for themselves every day.
Cassandra, realizing they needed assistance, promised to assist them whenever she returned home from her hospital shifts. The four sisters appreciated it and thoroughly loved Cassandra’s company.
“You are heaven sent, Cassandra,” Marie, the eldest of the sisters, once told her. “Will you at least allow us to pay you for your help?” she asked.
Cassandra shakes her head. “Oh, no, Marie. I will not allow you to pay me! I do this because I care for you, not because I want any money in return. Really, don’t worry about it,” she said.
Cassandra assisted them every day by preparing their meals and cleaning up afterward. She also assisted them personally in arranging their maintenance medications and dressing.
Cassandra once asked them over dinner, “Why didn’t you ever go to a nursing home? Surely, they can take better care of you compared to me.”
Clara, another sister, stated that they didn’t trust nursing homes. “We wanted to spend the remainder of our lives together. If we were put in a nursing home, we wouldn’t be able to sleep in the same room, and we’ll have to deal with so many other people,” she explained.
“We would rather spend the rest of our days surrounded by genuine love and care. We never know what other people’s intentions are,” Mindy, the youngest of the sisters, added.
Cassandra nodded, realizing where the sisters were coming from. “Well,” she informed them. “You don’t need to worry. “You don’t have to worry. As long as I am able, you can count on me for help,” she said, smiling. “That’s what neighbors are for!”
“You are the best neighbor anyone could ask for,” Lisa, the second-oldest sibling, said, reaching out to hold her hand.
Cassandra made it a point to visit her siblings whenever she returned home from the hospital, no matter how tired she was. They ate together, and she took care of everything they needed before heading home to sleep.
Unfortunately, as time went on, the inevitable occurred. The siblings ᴅɪᴇᴅ one by one, leaving Cassandra to plan their funerals and mourn their loss.
When the last of the sisters ᴅɪᴇᴅ , she cleaned their house and went to the final funeral, which had no visitors save for a lawyer who introduced herself as Attorney Abigail Smith.
“You must be Cassandra,” Abigail informed her. “Thank you for taking care of the sisters all these years. I’ve heard so much about you.”
Cassandra gave her a sorrowful grin. “They were a delight to be with. I will miss all of them dearly.”
The lawyer said that Cassandra needed to visit her office that same week to discuss things with her. Despite her confusion, Cassandra promised to visit the lawyer’s office the next day.
When she arrived, the lawyer handed her a document. “Lisa, Clara, Mindy, and Marie each had children. I know you’ve never met them because they didn’t bother attending any of the funerals, but they live in nearby states. When the sisters realized their kids didn’t care much about them, they decided to change their will,” she said.
“They left everything to you,” Attorney Abigail revealed. “In the document, you will see everything you will inherit from them, including money, jewelry, and the house they lived in.”
Cassandra’s jaw dropped. She couldn’t believe her neighbors had left their entire land with her, despite having children. “It can’t be! I don’t deserve all of these,”she exclaimed, astonished.
Attorney Abigail shrugged. “You do, Cassandra. You were a daughter to them more than their own children. They saw you as the rightful heir to their fortune,” she informed her.
Cassandra wasn’t sure what to think. She was shaking as she saw the document, which plainly indicated that she was to get the riches left by the four sisters. She had no idea what to do with the money, but she quickly realized that it was enough to pay off her late parents’ remaining bills.
A few days following the meeting, the four sisters’ children began contacting Attorney Abigail about the will reading. When she revealed that the will did not include them, they all intended to challenge it in court.
However, before they could do so, Attorney Abigail announced that each child will get a letter from their mothers in the mail. Each letter sent the same message:
“My dear child,
You might be wondering why I left you with nothing. You know that I love you dearly and that I am happy that you were able to start a new life without me in a different state. I am proud of all your success, but I always wished you would take time off your busy schedule to visit me and spend the last of my days with me.
I was deeply hurt and offended by the fact that you never paid attention to me after you moved. I had wished you’d come each holiday, but you never did. So I decided to leave my fortune to someone who was there for me all the years you weren’t.
I hope you accept and understand this decision. I know you are capable of living life without my estate, the same way you have been living without me all these years. Love, mom.”
The youngsters received their letters on the same day. They communicated via a group chat before deciding to abandon their claim. They understood how bad they had been to their mothers and that they did not deserve anything from them.
Cassandra had never met any of the sisters’ children, but on each of the women’s death anniversaries, she noticed lovely fresh flowers on their graves. Cassandra smiled as she realized that the sisters’ children had finally decided to pay attention to their mothers in the only way they could.
What can we learn from this story?
When you are in a position to assist someone, do so. Cassandra helped her elderly neighbors without expecting anything back. Her neighbors eventually accepted her as the true successor to their estate after realizing she cared for them more than their own children did.
Make time for your loved ones before it’s too late. When the sisters died, their children realized how much time they had spent neglecting their mothers. They regretted not spending more time with them when they were living and were left to leave bouquets on their graves every year because it was too late to change the past.
Please share this story with your friends. It may brighten their day and inspire them.
