John’s Story
John Dorrah grew up in Illinois with his mom, Sue.
As John got older, he started noticing how his mother disappeared every Christmas Eve for a few hours every single year.
Making Mom Proud
John had always been a son any mother would be proud of. He worked as a teacher for 30 years, and his career drove him to many different places.
As he forged an impressive career in teaching and writing, he taught in Georgia, and even England.
John Nowadays
John ended up working as a consultant for the Gateway Writing Project (GWP). At the moment, he travels to different schools and helps teachers and students in their reading and writing work.
Through the GWP, John and his colleagues form collaborations between educators and schools, to give students the necessary tools to make a good future for themselves.
A Successful Career
Apart from teaching, John also wrote for STR8-UP Magazine, where he covered all the art, music, and cultural news in Belleville, Illinois. What’s more, he kick-started a series of books.
His books are called 99 Words, which consist of 99 stories, which are 99 words long. How clever is that?
His Inspiration
John’s love for writing was inspired by his mother. Sue would always tell him stories so interesting that would always keep him wanting more.
The strange part, however, was that Sue would never let him record her stories.
Shady Behavior
John wanted to keep his mother’s stories and write them down so that he’d never forget them. But, somehow, whenever he tried to record her, she’d clam up.
According to John, that was typical of his mother. She kept certain things under wraps, and nobody could get any information out of her.
The Christmas Mystery
One of the stories she kept secret was, of course, the Christmas story. Why did she vanish every Christmas? Why did she keep it secret for so many years?
Not a single member of the family knew what was going on. Sue refused to let anyone know what she did every single year when she left the house on Christmas Eve.
Speculations
Not even John’s father knew what was going on. Everyone in the family speculated their own version of what Sue was up to.
John recalls asking his father about it, to which he’d respond: ”I dunno, probably shopping”. His father didn’t seem very interested in finding out anyway. But John was.
John’s Theories
John knew that his mother was definitely doing something other than shopping. She was extremely organized, and most definitely wouldn’t buy Christmas presents at the last minute.
John quickly discarded his father’s theory, saying that “she gets her gifts done before Thanksgiving. She’s finished!”
Her Routine
Sue’s behavior was not only strange, but also repetitive. She always disappeared for three hours every single time.
However, nobody seemed to care much except for John.
The Secret
Years went by, and John’s family forgot about the whole thing. It wasn’t until Sue had passed away that John finally figured out what her secret was.
John received a letter from a man named Robert right after Sue passed away. Robert had been a colleague of Sue at the toilet-seat factory they worked at. In the letter, he gave John information about Sue’s secret.
The Big Reveal
Robert wrote: “I just wanted you to know how much my family and I appreciate what your mother has done for us for all these years“.
“Every year, on Christmas Eve, your mom comes to my house all dressed as Mrs. Claus and gives my family the opportunity to enjoy a Christmas we can’t afford to give them,” Robert explained.
The Christmas Spirit
Robert went on to explain how Sue brought his family shoes, shirts, jeans, toys, and candy.
”I know your heart is heavy and that your are missing Miss Sue. We do, too. We loved her and just wanted you to know what she had done for us,” Robert said.
An Unexpected Twist
John couldn’t believe his eyes when reading the letter. Sue left the house every year to become Mrs. Claus. Her generosity spread joy on a family who wasn’t as lucky as hers, and made every Christmas unforgettable.
After all those years, John finally figured out what really happened with his mom. But that wasn’t enough to give him closure. Sue had passed away, so he couldn’t talk to his mother about what happened. He could only write back to Robert.
The Best Gift
”That short note was the best gift that I ever received from anyone,” John wrote. His mother’s good deeds not only brought happiness to Robert and his family, but also filled John’s heart like never before.
So John decided to do what he knew best to keep his mother’s generosity alive…
Spreading the Joy
John decided to immortalize Sue’s actions into a story that everyone could read. Mom’s Secret Mission was submitted to
Chicken Soup For The Soul, a charming book series that features heartwarming stories submitted by different people.
This wasn’t his first try, though. He had already submitted several pieces, but heard nothing back. But this time, it was his lucky year.
Touching Everyone’s Hearts
In 2016, John was invited to send a story for their Christmas edition, Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Joy of Christmas.
The publisher and editor-in-chief of the book, Amy Newmark, was smitten with the story when she read it. Getting featured in the book series is extremely competitive, but John’s story captivated Amy.
Getting in Isn’t Easy
The publishing house receives thousands of submissions every year, and those who are lucky to get a spot on the book make a name for themselves.
Getting published in Chicken Soup for the Soul gives authors credentials and earns them book contracts, so it is a very big deal for writers.
John’s Wish
However, John didn’t submit his story for money or fame. He only wanted the world to know how wonderful his mom had been, and to keep her memory alive.
John believes the most touching part of the story is how Sue kept it a secret and took it to her grave. She didn’t do it for attention, she just wanted to make others happy. And, she wasn’t the only one…
Santa is Real
The spirit of Christmas lived in Sue, as she brought love and happiness to others. The same happened to another family in Oklahoma.
In this case, Diauris and Deneisha, a brother and sister who lived with their mother, Sophia Reed, did something just like Sue did.
Their Story
Sophia spent all her money on getting a place for her family to live. When Christmas came around, she had no money to get her children any presents, which made her feel extremely sad.
Diauris and Deneisha had an idea, however, to make their Mom’s Christmas a happy one.
Creativity Beats Money
The kids collected cans to make some money, all while hiding it from their mom. Diauris went out while Deneisha covered for him.
Sophia, however, noticed her son was gone and called the police. They eventually found him, and he told the police what he was up to. Surprisingly, the cops joined him in his plan, instead of telling his mom.
A Christmas Miracle
The police actually cobbled together an incredible $800, which got the family more than enough gifts under the Christmas tree.
Sophia was speechless, and could only thank her children and the police officers for doing something so wonderful. Santa Claus is real after all.