Dad Secretly Sells His Most Beloved Item To Pay Off His Kid's Student Loans — 'He Traded His Dream For My Freedom'
He didn't want his child to be burdened by student loan payments.
Ground Picture | Shutterstock A college grad said she was shocked to learn that her student loan debt had been paid off entirely by her dad in an unexpected way. Posting about the situation on Reddit, she claimed that her dad secretly decided to give her a leg up by erasing her debt, but to do so, he had to sell his beloved Harley motorcycle that he'd been restoring since before she was born.
The duality of the situation really threw her, which was what drove her to Reddit in the first place. She was beyond grateful for her dad's love and generosity, but also felt "incredibly guilty" because he had given up "the one indulgence he allowed himself."
A dad sold his beloved Harley motorcycle to pay off his kid's student loans without them knowing.
Aaron of L.A. Photography | Shutterstock
"Two months ago, I got a letter saying my entire $68k student loan balance was paid off. I thought it was a scam at first. But after calling the servicer, they confirmed it: 'A family member made a full payment,'" the recent grad began in her Reddit post.
She explained that she immediately knew it was her dad who had paid off the loans. Describing him as always being supportive, she knew without a shadow of a doubt that he had decided to help unburden her from the harrowing reality of owing thousands of dollars just to get an education. While she admitted her dad wasn't the "emotional type," she still made sure to call him to both confirm and thank him.
"I called him crying, thanking him. He brushed it off and said, 'Don’t worry about it. Just focus on living your life,'" she wrote. However, it wasn't until more time had passed that she realized the lengths her dad had gone to for her future.
Mom revealed to her daughter that her dad sold his motorcycle.
"It wasn’t until last week that my mom told me how he did it. He sold the Harley he’s been restoring since before I was born. The one he used to tell me would be his 'retirement ride,'" she wrote.
Her dad had sold his motorcycle in secret to a collector in another state and used the money to pay off her loans. She insisted the bike had been the only indulgence he'd ever spent his money on. At 61 years old, he spent his life working a job at a plant in their town, and restoring his motorcycle was the hobby that he loved wholeheartedly and took major care of.
Ultimately, that's what's got her feeling both grateful and guilty. She wrote, "I feel both incredibly loved and incredibly guilty. He traded his dream for my freedom, and I don’t know how to carry that."
As one commenter wisely advised, "The best gift for a parent like yours is you thriving and sharing your success with them in turn. Being able to comfortably do something a little extravagant but overall just plain nice to care for him will show him how big an impact his gesture had. Keep an eye out for opportunities and make the most of being free of that debt, and remember to send a quick text thanking him again when, in a few months, you realize how relieved you still are because of what he did. It's never inappropriate to say you're still appreciative even years down the line, especially when something is truly a lifechanging gift."
Many grads are resigned to the fact that they will never be able to crawl out from under their student loan debt.
Almost a quarter of those who currently have student loan debt, either for themselves or someone else, don’t expect to ever pay it off. That's a huge burden, and it's influencing many kids to forego higher education entirely. Going to college is sadly becoming a privilege only afforded to the wealthy, and limiting access to education is not beneficial to society.
In light of how difficult the path to a college degree has become, this father's gesture means all that much more. Stories like this are always heartwarming, but especially right now, when the economy is at its worst, the odds of this recent college grad being able to pay her student loan debt on top of all her other responsibilities would've been a burden.
His decision to sell something that he loved and cherished was solely about being able to help his child move through life without the financial burden. While he may have adored that motorcycle, it's clear that his love for his child far outweighs any material possession.
While the daughter feels both "loved" and "guilty," there's absolutely no reason for her to feel indebted to her dad. Good parents dream of giving their kids a better life than they had, and for this dad, selling his motorcycle was his way of doing so.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
