00:00The days after their parents' funeral passed in a blur.
00:04Jack didn't cry. Not because he wasn't hurting,
00:07but because he didn't want James to see his tears.
00:11Someone had to stay strong. Life changed quickly.
00:16The small farm their parents attended was now Jack's responsibility.
00:20Neighbors offered help, but Jack insisted on doing things himself.
00:24At 13, he was no longer just a boy. He was the man of the house.
00:30Every morning, Jack woke before sunrise to milk the cow,
00:34chop firewood, and tend the crops.
00:37Every evening, he cooked simple meals and helped James with his schoolwork.
00:41They had little money, but Jack stretched every coin,
00:44often skipping meals to make sure James had enough.
00:47James, still too young to understand the weight Jack carried, flourished in school.
00:52His teachers praised his sharp mind and curiosity.
00:55One day, he came home clutching a certificate.
00:57Look, Jack! I won first place in the science fair!
01:01Jack smiled, wiping sweat from his brow.
01:03That's amazing, Jamie!
01:05I'm proud of you!
01:07James beamed.
01:08One day, I'll be a great engineer and build things that help people.
01:13Jack ruffled his hair.
01:15And I'll be right here, cheering you on.
01:18As the years passed, the gap between their lives grew.
01:23Jack left school at 15 to work full-time.
01:26He picked up jobs in nearby towns, laboring in fields, fixing fences, hauling bricks, anything that paid.
01:34Every coin he earned went into a jar labeled James's College.
01:38At 17, James got admission into a top school in the city.
01:42The fees were beyond their means.
01:45That night, Jack sat alone, staring at the old watch their father once wore.
01:51It was the only valuable thing left, a family heirloom.
01:55Slowly, he placed it in a box and whispered,
01:58You'd understand, Dad.
01:59The next day, he sold the watch and handed the money to James.
02:04James's eyes lit up.
02:06Jack, how did you get this?
02:08We didn't have enough.
02:10Jack smiled.
02:11Doesn't matter.
02:12Go chase your dream.
02:14James hugged him tightly.
02:16I'll make you proud, I promise.
02:18Jack watched him board the bus, waving until it disappeared down the road.
02:23As silence filled the house, Jack felt a strange emptiness.
02:27But also hope.
02:29He had given up his dream so James could live his.
Comments