When I arrived at my father’s funeral on Christmas Day, grief weighed heavy on my chest. But as the coffin lid was opened, revealing it was empty, a wave of shock rippled through the crowd. The truth that followed would change everything I thought I knew about family, love, and forgiveness.

Christmas was always special in our house. Growing up, it felt like magic.

Dad would put on the same goofy Santa hat every year, his glasses sitting crooked on his nose, while Mom made her famous cinnamon rolls. We’d wake up to the smell of fresh coffee and the sound of carols playing on the old stereo.