Derek Ryder was ashamed of his mother, hiding her from the world, even hiring an actress to take her place at his graduation. But a painful revelation years later changed everything. This is a story of regret, forgiveness, and the true cost of vanity.
The Son Who Was Ashamed of His Mother: A Story of Regret and Redemption
Derek Ryder was a young man filled with ambition, but there was one thing that haunted him—his mother. He was ashamed of her. Gail Ryder, his mother, had been scarred and blinded years ago in a heroic act to save him from a vicious dog. But Derek could never see her sacrifice as anything but a curse. He saw her as different, as “ugly,” and the way others reacted to her made him feel embarrassed.
From primary school onward, Derek made sure no one knew about his mother. He lied about her, telling friends and girlfriends she was a religious fanatic or a recluse to avoid introducing her to anyone. He even went as far as hiring an actress to pose as his mother at his graduation, too ashamed to have her show up and face the world.
But everything changed when he finally confronted the truth about his mother’s past. It would take years for Derek to understand the selflessness of the woman he’d hidden away, but when he did, he was left with nothing but regret.
The Beginning of His Shame
When Derek was younger, he didn’t notice his mother’s appearance. To him, she was just his mom. But as he grew older, the reactions from others made him painfully aware of how different she was. His mother had one eye and severe scars from the accident when she saved him from a dog that would have attacked him. On his first day of school, Derek noticed how other mothers flinched when they saw his mom, and that’s when the cruelty of his feelings started.
“I don’t want you to take me to the gate, mom!” he yelled one day. “I’m not a freak!”
His words cut deep, and from that moment on, Gail never accompanied him to school again. She dropped him off, always in silence, the tears falling silently as she drove away. Derek, on the other hand, felt relief. His mom’s presence was something to be hidden, something he couldn’t bear to show the world.
The Graduation Dilemma
Fast forward to Derek’s graduation day. He had been named valedictorian, a proud moment that should have been shared with his mother. But Derek couldn’t bring himself to invite her. Instead, he hired a beautiful actress to pretend to be his mom. His real mother, standing in the background, asked to go with him, but Derek’s response was cold.
“You’re not going!” he snapped. “You’ve been a freak all my life. I’ve hired someone to take your place.”
The words left Gail devastated. Her son’s cruelty was too much to bear, but she didn’t fight back. She nodded, heartbroken, and watched him walk out the door. Two weeks later, Derek left home and went to college in California, cutting ties with his mother completely.
The Revelation
Years passed, and Derek never contacted his mother. But then, news came—Gail had passed away. Shocked and confused, Derek learned that she had left him a substantial inheritance. He went home to settle her estate, but what he learned there would change his life forever.
The lawyer, Terry Arlington, explained that Gail had left him close to $700,000 and a house worth over $1.5 million. Derek was baffled. “But my mom lived so modestly,” he said.
Arlington then explained the truth that Derek had never known: When Derek was three years old, his mother had thrown herself in front of a dog to save him, resulting in her blindness and the scars that marked her face for life.
“She was a hero,” Arlington said. “You must have been very proud of her.”
Derek’s heart shattered. The woman he had treated so cruelly, the woman he had hidden from the world, was a hero. She had given her all for him, and he had repaid her with nothing but shame.
Regret and Redemption
Derek walked to his mother’s grave, tears streaming down his face as he knelt beside it. “Oh, Mom,” he whispered. “You saved me, and I treated you so cruelly… I am so sorry.”
From that day on, Derek vowed to never hide the truth again. He kept a photo of his mother on his desk, one where her scars were hidden behind her big glasses, reminding him of her sacrifice every single day.
What We Can Learn From This Story
True Beauty Comes from Sacrifice: Derek’s mother, despite her disfigurement, was a hero who sacrificed herself for her son. True beauty lies in selflessness, not appearance.
Regret is the Price of Vanity: Derek’s cruelty toward his mother was rooted in vanity and selfishness. His regret for not appreciating her while she was alive stayed with him forever.
Family is Everything: No matter who our parents are or what they look like, we should always be proud of them. Our love for them should never depend on superficial appearances.
