She Didn't Get to Say Goodbye to Her Dad When He Died. Then She Found the Final Note He'd Left Her (Exclusive)
Rudolph Clausing died at 66 on Jan. 13, 2021, from lung disease after contracting COVID-19
Anna Harp’s dad, Rudolph Clausing, was the funniest, kindest and most selfless person she’d ever met
So, when Clausing died at 66 on Jan. 13, 2021, from lung disease after contracting COVID-19, Harp, 27 at the time, was devastated
Since Clausing died during the pandemic, she and her family weren’t able to be with him when he died. Afterward, Harp's mom went to gather his things from the hospital, when she came across a final note Clausing had left
Anna Harp’s dad, Rudolph Clausing, was the funniest, kindest and most selfless person she’d ever met. He could never be anyone but himself, even if he tried. As a dental technician for 40 years, he also worked a lot. So whenever Harp got to be around him, it was a gift, and she never took it for granted.
When Clausing died at 66 on Jan. 13, 2021, from lung disease after contracting COVID-19, Harp, 27 at the time, was devastated. Since he died during the pandemic, she and her family weren’t able to be with him in his final days. Afterward, when Harp's mom went to gather his things from the hospital, including a notebook he'd been writing in, they came across a final note her dad had left.
"It has been such a good life," the note read.
Courtesy of Anna Harp
Anna Harp and her father Rudolph ClausingSince then, the note has become one of Harp’s most prized possessions. "The note means everything to me," Harp, now a 33-year-old wedding photographer and content creator in Siloam Springs, Ark., tells PEOPLE exclusively.
"I have those words tattooed on my leg and I can only hope that I feel that same way when it’s my time to go," she continues. "I hope I can give my son the same gift of knowing that I was content and fulfilled with how I lived my life. That was the last selfless act he could do for us."
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Courtesy of Anna Harp
Anna Harp and her father Rudolph ClausingAbout a year after Clausing died, a company called Moments Grove saw one of Harp's posts about the note and her tattoo on TikTok and Instagram. She says they reached out to her, offering to create a framed, 3D-printed version of the note. She loved the idea, sent them the note and they took care of the rest.
When the art finally arrived, Harp couldn’t wait to hang the framed picture in her house.
"It's so special to hang it front and center in my kitchen and know that I’ll see it every morning and think of him," she tells PEOPLE. "It’s such a good reminder to live my life in the same way he did and strive to be able to say those same words when it’s my time."
"It makes me miss him every time I see it," she adds.
Recently, Harp was in her kitchen when she was struck with the idea to post about the sign on TikTok. While she’d posted about her tattoo of the note online, and previously went viral, she’d never shared the sign. She knew that people resonated with his note and decided to give it a shot.
Then, she noticed the video go viral, amassing more than 1.6 million views and 900 comments from people sharing their own notes parents or loved ones had left them.
"I truly didn’t think it would be seen by so many people," she says. "I still get messages from people saying that they will never forget those words."
"It’s so insanely beautiful and equally heartbreaking to read through the comments," she adds. "There are so many similar stories, and I hate that so many people have also known this kind of pain. It’s crazy though how grief is one thing in the world that connects all of us."
For now, Harp plans to keep the note right where it is, front and center in the house. She adds how if she and her family ever move, she will find a new spot in her house to display the artwork proudly.
"I hope our son and future grandkids will keep those words alive and hang it in their own home one day," she continues. "I hope they remember my dad and his words and keep them alive. I hope they live their life in a way that makes them feel just as fulfilled as he did."
Read the original article on People