Man Hides Gift for Wife in Painting, She Discovers It Only after His Death — Story of the Day

A dying man tells his wife he has left her a special gift in a painting he’d given her and leads her to an unexpected discovery.

Amanda and Steve Ferris had been married for 50 years, and she would have sworn that she knew everything there was to know about the man she considered her soul mate.

Amanda had fallen in love with Steve at first sight, and he’d swept her off her feet. Just three months after their first meeting they were exchanging their vows and Amanda never regretted her decision. It was only on his deathbed that she realized her husband was a mystery.

Amanda and Steve had lived together happily for 48 years and shared three children and several grandchildren when their idyll was interrupted by a dire diagnosis: Steve had an inoperable tumor.

All they could do was attempt some experimental treatments and pray. Over the next two years, Steve and Amanda fought the terrible enemy that was destroying Steve’s health but to no avail.

Finally, the doctors told them that the end was near, and advised Steve to set his affairs in order and say his goodbyes. Amanda phoned their children who all came to see their father, and Steve had many tender final words for them all.

Then Steve asked to see Amanda alone. “Mandy,” he whispered. “Do you remember that painting I gave you of Puget Sound?”

Amanda smiled through her tears. “The one you painted of that little inn where we spent our honeymoon?” she asked.

Steve smiled. “Yes…That one. Well, Mandy, when I’m gone I want you to look behind the frame…Promise me, you’ll look…”

“Oh honey,” Amanda said gently. “I’ll do whatever you want.”

Steve became very agitated. “Please, Mandy, there’s so much you don’t know about me, I hid things away and now it’s too late…” Amanda comforted Steve as...