Even after loss, love often finds a way to take root in new ways.

When one young woman unwittingly crossed paths with her stepfather at the cemetery, she witnessed something so tender and wholesome, it warmed her heart for days to come.

You’ll want to read on for this one.

I just found out that my step father (53M) and been talking to my dad at his graveyard, and its the sweetest thing.

My dad passed away 15 years ago when I was 9, my brother was 14, and my sister was 16. I won’t go into detail about how he died, but he was struck by a speeding car.

My mother waited three years before starting to date again, and then she met Robert. Robert is a great stepfather; my brother and I call him “Dad,” while my sister calls him “Rob.”

Rob turned out to be a wonderful addition to all of their lives.

He has never tried to replace our dad and always shows respect for him.

When you meet Rob, you can tell he is a bubbly and friendly guy. He has a way of bringing people out of their shells, and after just ten minutes of conversation, it feels like you’ve known him for 10 years.

As life went on, she didn’t get back to visit home as often.

I live farther away from my family since I just completed my bachelor’s degree and will be in law school for another two years. Because of this, I don’t get to visit as often; I usually only go home for holidays and in the summer.

But when she came back to visit her father’s grave, she found something she didn’t expect.

Last Thursday, I visited the graveyard and saw my stepdad. At that moment, I knew I shouldn’t have, but I had overheard their conversation.

My stepdad said something along the lines of, “Oh, and you know how Hannah (my mom) was going out Sunday? Oh, you would have died if you saw her face—oh wait, I have a photo!”

I just paused at that moment. It was like watching two friends talking and sharing a beer.

She learned that Rob was even more wonderful than she even knew.

I walked up and asked my stepfather what they were talking about, and he was still laughing and just said, “Oh, look,” and he was holding a photo of my mom with a spilled margarita on her pants while he was red in the face, dying from laughter. I started laughing too.

We all started to talk about stuff in life, and I left 30 minutes later.

This was the most wholesome moment. After, I asked him how often he visits my dad, and he told me every week with my mom—but this week my mom was busy.

This was so sweet, and I’m so happy that he visits my dad.

What a way to keep someone’s memory alive.

Redditors were rather moved by the story.

This user felt inspired to reach out to someone they’ve been meaning to reconnect with.

This guy is definitely a keeper.

Rob may not replace their father, but he fills his own special role.

A fellow stepfather chimes in.

In that moment, it became clear just how much value Rob brought into their lives, even as she still grieved her father’s loss.

This story was proof that love never disappears — it just finds new ways to stay connected.

If you enjoyed that story, read this one about a mom who was forced to bring her three kids with her to apply for government benefits, but ended up getting the job of her dreams.