18-year-old girl shares the touching letter her mom wrote to her just before she died

Like most teenagers, college student Hannah Summers loves hanging with her friends, watching “Stranger Things,” listening to music like One Direction and Taylor Swift, and watching football. However, this all-American girl has endured a loss no one ever wants to face, least of all when they are just 18 years old: Hannah’s mom, Peggy, just recently died after a difficult battle with kidney cancer.

However, Peggy didn’t want to leave her little girl without having one last goodbye. So she wrote Hannah the most touching letter filled with love, sage advice and comforting words.

“If you are reading this then the surgery did not go well,” the letter begins. “I’m sorry, I tried my best to beat this terrible disease but I guess God had other things for me to do.”

This heartwarming letter has brought joy and strength to Hannah, and she was generous enough to share her mother’s inspiring words on Twitter, where it has since gone viral and earned thousands of likes. The many people who read the letter could feel Peggy’s warmth and love, and they thanked Hannah for sharing it.

Even actress Patricia Arquette took to Twitter to send her condolences to Hannah:

I think that part of the reason this letter is resonating with so many people is because it is just such a “mom” letter. It’s filled with careful concern, sage advice and words of wisdom that ring true no matter what age you are.

“Study hard in school, don’t worry about a job. If you want to work in the summer fine but you need to really concentrate on school,” Peggy wrote.

And isn’t it so like a mom to take the time to write such a meaningful, heartfelt letter even when she was in the throes of illness? Even in that moment, her first and foremost concern was to summon strength and courage so that she could provide guidance and comfort for her daughter, even after her death. Peggy delivers some pretty useful advice that will no doubt serve Hannah well as she grows up:

“Use your common sense about things like not going anywhere by yourself and having an emergency kit in your car in the winter. If you can car pool [sic] to school do it, stay away from parties because they are usually bad, not all boys are bad but most will tell you anything to try to get you to do things, try to hang out with people who have the same beliefs as you because they will make you stronger.”

Peggy ends her letter on this tear-jerking note:

“Enjoy life and live each day as if it is your last because none of us know if today will be the last. And most of all remember that I Love You more than you will ever know!”

What an inspiring woman and what a powerful message. Let Peggy’s sweet letter be a reminder for all of us to hug our loved ones a little tighter tonight.