My Ex-Wife Asked to Use the Money Saved for Our Late Son for Her Stepson—My Reaction Left Her Speechless

Holding the photograph of Peter, my late son, I reflected on the life he might have had if he were still with us. Peter was a vibrant, ambitious young man, full of dreams, until a drunk driver tragically ended his life.

Peter’s mother and I divorced when he was 12. She remarried when he was 14, and I did as well when Peter turned 16.

After the divorce, Peter lived with me, as his mom wanted time to bond with her new stepson, Ryan.

One summer, Peter spent time with them and confided that his mom and her new family kept an emotional distance. He expressed how much he hated that atmosphere and didn’t want to spend another day there, though he still kept in touch occasionally.

As I reminisced about those happy moments, I heard a knock on the door. It was Susan, my ex-wife. She said she needed to talk about something important.

We hadn’t spoken much since our divorce, only discussing Peter. Now that he was gone, I couldn’t imagine what she wanted to talk about.

With surprising boldness, she brought up the 529 Plan I had set up for Peter’s education. She suggested, “Since Peter is no longer here, maybe we can use that money for Ryan’s college. Jerry thinks it’s a good idea.”

I was stunned. “Use Peter’s savings for someone he barely knew? Are you serious?” I replied, shocked.

“Please understand, Ryan is part of the family too,” she argued.

“What family, Susan? Peter barely knew Ryan,” I shot back, anger creeping into my voice. “And don’t you remember when Peter overheard Jerry say he wasn’t responsible for him? Now you want to take his funds for someone else?”

She tried to convince me that Peter would have agreed to this, but I knew my son well enough to be sure he would not.

I asked her to leave my house.

The next day, I decided to fulfill one of Peter’s dreams by going to Belgium, a place he had always wanted to visit. Walking through the streets, visiting the museums, and experiencing,. I carried his photo with me, thinking about him every step of the way.

When I returned, I used the remaining funds to create a foundation for young …like Peter. This, I felt, was the best way to honor his memory and keep his legacy alive.