I am now 29. I have 3 children. Ages 9, 6, and 3. I am divorced and I have moved away from the general area where I grew up. Their father still lives there. The kids and I live about 4 hours North of all our family. 

It’s summer break and the kids are back in my hometown area visiting their Dad. These are VERY small towns with lots of road distance between each town. Most places to shop/eat/run errands are in the next County over. The kids and their Dad are driving back to his home after being out and about for the day. 

They have a flat tire and pull over on the side of the road. My oldest child gets out with her Dad and they are inspecting the flat tire when she looks up and sees a car coming down the road. 

Dad is busy with the tire and she notices the car looks like mine. 

She tells her Dad “I think that’s mom.” Still occupied with the tire he tells her it’s not me. As the car gets closer she yells for her Dad to look. He stands up and together they are standing near the side of the road watching “me” approach. I slow down a bit, they clearly see it’s me, I see them, we all make eye contact. My middle kid is inside the car looking out the window at me as I slowly drive by. And ‘I’ keep going. 

Remember, there is a 4 hour driving distance between us. 

At this time I was working a night shift job, sleeping during the day. My cell phone rings and wakes me up. I see it’s their Dad so I answer. He asks me why I didn’t stop. I was half asleep and had no idea what he was going on about. Then my daughter gets on the phone and tells me what just happened. I immediately snap a cell phone pic of myself at home, 4 hours away, and send it to them.

My children are now 24, 21, and 18 (in 2024) and still talk about this day from 2008.