Man gets a call from his late dad's phone 3 years after his death — then he heard a familiar voice

The loss of a loved one is followed by a flood of strong emotions, such as shock, anger, guilt, and despair, which can drain your body and mind. Dillon Michael White, an Instagram user, shared his story to provide comfort to others by opening up about his experience with loss. White shared a heartbreaking story of receiving a late-night call from his late father's phone in an emotional video. He had been dealing with grief since the death of his father in August 2020.

When White's three children had gone to bed and he had settled in to watch football in December 2023, his entire existence turned upside down with one phone call. "Dad Cell" appeared on the screen of his phone. His rational mind suddenly stopped working and he was overwhelmed by emotions, one of which was hope. White waited just a second before answering the phone, as reported by Newsweek. He said, “Very hesitantly, I answered, ‘Hello?’” White then disclosed that the voice on the other end was that of his mother. Long after his dad's death, she continued to pay the monthly bill and kept his father's phone operational.

The call was shocking for White as he admitted, “Receiving a call from my dad’s phone and then being reminded of the reality that he’s no longer here was overwhelming." He described the strong pain he felt as he held the phone, hesitating to answer. With a heavy voice, he added, “As I was sitting there with the phone, waiting to slide it open and even afterward, the deep yearning that you feel." Having a much older father, he always feared losing him too soon and sadly, he wasn't wrong.

Speaking about the moment that he received the call, White said, "It's weird that simple things can bring back waves of memories almost instantaneously. When I saw it, my first thought was that he was watching the game and wanted to talk about it. Then after a split second, my brain kicked in and remembered he was gone, and I thought, what the heck?" White further opened up about the lessons he has learned about grief and how to navigate it. He said, “I read this somewhere. When someone dies, the first memory that leaves you is the sound of their voice." He added, "I have been saving voicemails from my dad ever since I was in college."

White emphasized the importance of speaking out about grief, allowing others to know that it’s okay to feel and express their pain, while also offering ways to cope. He added that the only true way to heal is to sit with the grief, feel it fully, and work through it—it doesn’t simply vanish. Many people were thankful for White’s openness, as his story and advice resonated deeply, prompting others to share their own experiences and express their emotions. While grief is unique to each person, it is often understood to unfold in five stages, namely denial, bargaining, depression, acceptance, and seeking support.