Little did he know that his father, who had died of esophageal cancer six years earlier, had already made plans to attend – not in person, but in spirit.
John Goodman left his son a $ 10 bill to buy his first beer, a secret his mother and sister kept from him all these years.
On December 6, the resident of Taunton, Massachusetts, used the money to drink his first legal drink.
“Knowing he was thinking about a big moment in my life ahead meant everything because even when he was gone, he still did what he could to make it to my 21st birthday,” Goodman told CNN. “It was probably the best gift I’ve ever received.”
While alive, John Goodman made sure he never missed a big moment in his son’s life. He was there for every game, every birthday, and every heartbreak. It only made sense to buy his son his first beer.
“Not having him around has clearly been the hardest part of my life since he was my best friend,” said Goodman. “He was a massive goofball who would do anything in the world to make me happy.”
“Cheers pops got these for you!” he captioned a photo of the $ 10 bill and drank the beer.
The post went viral and even caught the attention of beer giant Budweiser, who sent Goodman eight cases of beer.