Woman Becomes Single Mom Overnight, What Her Dad Does Melts Hearts

A woman’s father has come to the rescue in a time of heartache.

A video posted to TikTok by Nicole Mistretta (@mommycarolina) has gone viral for revealing how her father dropped everything to support her after she suddenly became a single mother. Since the video was posted, it has received over 740,000 views and over 45,000 likes.

Mistretta, 36, spoke to Newsweek about how her dad’s help in the midst of hardship made it all a bit easier.

“When you become a single mom overnight, so your dad flies in, watches your kids and is your personal chef for at least 30 days,” she captioned the video. Mistretta said her father wasted no time in reporting for fatherly and grandfatherly duties.

“I called my dad at 3 a.m. ….and all I said was, ‘Dad, there was an incident; I need you,'” she said. “Within 24 hours he and my stepmom packed up their things and flew from New York to South Carolina.”

Mistretta’s father wrote in a text to her: “I know this is a difficult time, things will be OK. Just take care of you and the kids. I will call you in the morning or call us as soon as you need to. We are here for you. We can be to your house tomorrow.”

Her father and stepmother stayed with Mistretta for a month to help her keep the house running, she said. School drop-offs and pickups, food shopping, graduations, band concerts and doctor’s appointments were just some of the things the grandparents took care of on a weekly basis for Mistretta’s three children—aged 4, 5 and 11—while she worked 40 hours per week.

Soon, they decided to support Mistretta longer. As she began to recover, her father and stepmother sold their house in New York and moved just 20 minutes away.

“He helps me now multiple days during the week bringing the kids to the pool, the zoo, and parks while enjoying summer vacation,” she said. “Along with a part-time sitter, we are beginning to prepare for the new school year ahead.”

‘When my dad showed up, I knew everything would be OK’

Mistretta said that her father’s presence during this time has been a beacon of hope.

“When my dad showed up, I knew everything would be OK,” she said. “To think of this situation happening without him here—it would have been devastating to my children and I.”

Mistretta’s dad has four children and 10 grandchildren, she said, and it’s not the first time he’s shown up in a big way. When her sister was diagnosed with cervical cancer, he flew down to their home in Florida to help her while she recovered. When another daughter was moving to Texas, he drove her across the country to make sure she arrived safely.

Mistretta said her father, a retired NYPD inspector, taught her about “respect, discipline, and helping others.”

“It’s because of my dad that I am so strong, that I’ve persevered,” she said. “My Dad had always been my hero.”

“All of our children love to say, ‘Papa’s funny,’ but Papa is not just funny—he’s a selfless, passionate, dedicated and loving father,” she said.