Elderly Man Helps Struggling Teen with Homework, Years Later She Saves His Home from Foreclosure — Story of the Day

Ellie was heartbroken when she couldn’t dress up for Halloween one year, and no one seemed to care except for one kind teacher. That teacher would soon become an even more important figure in her life.

It was Ellie’s favorite school day of the year, but she wished no one would notice her. The school auditorium was filled with children dressed in all sorts of exciting costumes—princes, princesses, vampires, superheroes, astronauts, and historical figures. The room buzzed with energy and creativity, but Ellie felt out of place among them.

One little girl, Ellie, entered with her shoulders slumped, trying to hide in her plain grey pants and white T-shirt, hoping no one would notice her. She had wanted to dress up as a princess that year. A few months earlier, her dad had promised her, “Your costume will turn a lot of heads, I promise!” But, like many busy dads, he got caught up handling the big important things and forgot about the small, yet meaningful, ones.

When Ellie’s dad forgot to save up for her princess costume that year, she wasn’t angry with him. But she couldn’t stop her nervous tears when the mean kids in her class began mocking her.

“What are you supposed to be dressed as? Ugly Ellie?” one boy sneered, grabbing the end of her ponytail with a look of disgust.

Ellie covered her ears and cried as the kids chanted her new nickname, laughing cruelly. Every face around her showed indifference or malice—except for one.

“Psst! Ellie!” a familiar voice whispered. It was Mr. Borges, her art teacher, trying to get her attention. Ellie wiped her tears and quickly escaped the crowd, following her favorite teacher.

“Wait here!” Mr. Borges said as he disappeared into the supply closet. A few moments later, he returned, and Ellie stared in confusion as she saw him holding several rolls of toilet paper, wondering what he was planning.

“What’s that for?” Ellie asked, scratching her head.

“This? It’s for your Halloween costume. And it’s going to be the best Halloween costume ever!” Mr. Borges replied, excited as a child.

Ellie stood still, clueless, while her teacher started wrapping the toilet paper around her waist and up toward her neck, making sure she was comfortable every step of the way. Then he wrapped the toilet paper around her belly, legs, arms, down to her fingers and toes.

“Woah, Mr. Borges!” Ellie began to realize the brilliant idea. “I look like a—”

“Hold on now. Keep your head straight. There’s one last part…” Mr. Borges said as he carefully wrapped the final layers of tissue around her face, leaving just enough room for her eyes, nose, and mouth.

“NOW…” Mr. Borges exclaimed, adding random red ink blots across the tissue, “it’s ready!”

A teacher’s influence lasts a lifetime. When Ellie saw herself in the mirror, she couldn’t stop jumping, clapping her papery hands in pure joy. “I love it! I love it, Mr. Borges. Thank you!”

When Ellie re-entered the crowd of excited children, they stopped mocking her and stared in awe.

To Mr. Borges, it was just a creative way to brighten a sad child’s day, but to Ellie, it meant everything. No one at school had ever done something so kind for her. In a place where she had been either mocked or ignored, Mr. Borges was the first person to notice her and offer help.

From that moment on, Ellie was determined to stay close to Mr. Borges. She developed a newfound interest in art, which over the years became a therapeutic outlet for her troubled heart.

Mr. Borges went above and beyond to support Ellie, the little girl who had no one but her ailing father. He became her confidant, listening to her deepest fears and biggest dreams.

When Ellie’s father passed away after a long, painful battle with illness, Mr. Borges was the only one who could calm her heart-wrenching screams and tears at the funeral. Holding her hand tightly, he made a heartfelt promise to her father’s spirit: “She will have everything you wanted for her. I promise!”

What no one knew about Mr. Borges was that he had endured terrible tragedies of his own. He had lost the woman he loved while she was pregnant, a heartbreak so deep that it robbed him of the courage to ever dream of having a family again.

As Mr. Borges watched Ellie laugh and cry, he often thought to himself, “My little daughter would have been just like her!”

Caring for Ellie was more than just a promise to fulfill; it became a goal that filled the tired man with purpose, joy, and a childlike eagerness.

Although Ellie lived with her grandmother and was officially under her care, it was Mr. Borges who stepped into the role of her guardian, her father figure, and her hero.

As the years went by, Ellie’s life transformed with the unwavering love and support of Mr. Borges. She moved up through each grade, excelled in high school, and ultimately earned a scholarship to one of the best colleges in the country.

It had been seven years since that tearful farewell when Mr. Borges waved to Ellie as she embarked on an exciting journey to a new city and a new life as a university student…

“I wonder if she’s doing alright…” Mr. Borges sat alone in his house in front of a forgotten cup of coffee.

He often thought of Ellie and regretted not doing his part in keeping in touch with her. “Does she remember me…?” he wondered that day when he heard a knock on the door and found a box on his doorstep.

Seven years had passed since that tearful farewell when Mr. Borges waved goodbye to Ellie as she set off on her exciting journey to a new city and a new life as a university student.

“I wonder if she’s doing alright…” he thought, sitting alone in his house in front of a forgotten cup of coffee.

He often reflected on Ellie and regretted not making an effort to keep in touch. “Does she remember me…?” he pondered, just as a knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. Opening the door, he discovered a box waiting for him on the doorstep.

As he opened the box, Mr. Borges discovered a neatly packed, expensive-looking three-piece suit. “Someone must have the wrong house,” he thought, beginning to repack the suit. Just then, an envelope fell out of one of the pockets, catching his attention.

Inside the envelope was an elegantly designed wedding invitation, and the bride’s name left him in astonishment. “Ellie, that little girl who wouldn’t leave my hand, is getting married! She’s grown so much!” Mr. Borges thought, tears welling up in his eyes.

But that wasn’t all. A note was tucked behind the invitation card, and Mr. Borges immediately recognized Ellie’s beautiful cursive handwriting.

When I thought I had no one, you went from being like my best friend, my guardian angel, to my father figure.

You will always be a father to me, Mr. Borges. And so, it would mean the world if you could walk me down the aisle and give me away on my special day.”

Tears rolled down the man’s cheeks that day and on the day when he gave Ellie away to the man she loved.

“Dear Mr. Borges,

Fifteen years ago, you helped a scared and hurt little girl feel happy and confident.

If it hadn’t been for you, I wouldn’t have worn that awesome mummy Halloween costume that everyone was jealous of. And if it hadn’t been for you, I wouldn’t have the confidence to be the happy young woman wearing a beautiful wedding gown in a few weeks.”

“Dear Mr. Borges,

Fifteen years ago, you helped a scared and hurt little girl feel happy and confident.

If it hadn’t been for you, I wouldn’t have worn that awesome mummy Halloween costume that everyone was jealous of. And if it hadn’t been for you, I wouldn’t have the confidence to be the happy young woman wearing a beautiful wedding gown in a few weeks.”

Lessons from the Story

1. Never Forget the Kind Hearts That Lifted You Up: Ellie never forgot how Mr. Borges helped her with a Halloween costume as a child and how he stood by her during her formative years.
2. A Teacher’s Influence Lasts a Lifetime: Even when Ellie was little, Mr. Borges made a lasting impact on her life. We, too, have had teachers who have touched our hearts through their small and big acts of kindness.

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If you enjoyed this story, you might also like the tale of a little orphaned girl who finds a sweet surprise on Father’s Day, thanks to her kind-hearted teacher.

This piece is inspired by the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only.