Old Man Is Fired from His Life-Long Job, Month Later Becomes Owner of the Company

An elderly man was brought to tears when his employer unexpectedly laid him off as part of a large reduction in staff. Few days later, the circumstances changed drastically, and he became the owner of the company.

Edward was a dedicated worker. He and his colleagues understood that. He had been with the firm since it was founded, and although he was past retirement age, he continued to do his tasks reliably, earning everyone's appreciation.

But one day, everything shifted for Edward.

"The purpose of this notice is to inform you about your position within the company… We regret to tell you that there will be significant staff reductions due to corporate restructuring."

The words from the email stared back at Edward. His fingers, which had been quickly typing, froze. He was motionless. Tears flowed down his face as he observed others around him with the same stunned expression.

He disliked seeing that look. He had joined the ranks of the unemployed. But what hurt Edward most was that he had dedicated his entire life to the company, and now he was dismissed. How could they do this to him?

Still in shock, Edward scrolled to the end of the email to see if his dismissal was permanent, and there it was—the answer to his question. Positioned under the FAQ section.

### Age does not matter; mindset does.

"Unless notified otherwise, you should consider this layoff permanent."

Edward leaned back in his chair and suddenly felt exhausted. He had never experienced such fatigue in all his working years. Now, he couldn’t take his eyes off the screen, which displayed the message of his termination. Then he noticed something else—the real reason behind his firing.

The company’s founder, Rick, had handed over ownership to his only grandson, Dan. The young man began his leadership by restructuring the staff, and in his opinion, Edward was too old to be part of the company.

Dan argued that the business needed sharper minds and more capable individuals who would meet monthly targets, not slow-paced, aged employees who sat idle or were considered too old to be employees at all.

He decided and sent termination notices to Edward and others.

Edward’s hands trembled as he packed up his workspace and put everything into a plain brown banker’s box. He had seen such scenes in movies after layoffs but never thought he’d be doing it himself.

Once outside, he went straight home. Living alone, he had no one to share his worries with. His only son was abroad, and his wife had died of illness years earlier.

Feeling alone and jobless, Edward was heartbroken. For him, work was everything. He knew that life ahead wouldn’t be easy. He needed something to keep him busy.

He considered tending to his garden daily or starting a YouTube channel like younger people do—quitting jobs to live freely. But that idea did not appeal to him. He longed to return to his office, do his tasks, and prepare reports again.

To Edward’s surprise, just a month later, his wish was granted. He was eating breakfast when he received a call from an unknown number.

“Am I speaking with Mr. Edward Morales?” asked a firm voice on the other end.

He answered, “This is Edward. What’s this about?”

“Good day, Mr. Morales. I am Andrew Hoffman, lawyer for Mr. Rick Benson. I am calling to inform you that after Mr. Benson’s passing, you are now the new owner of his IT company. Please come to my office to complete the final paperwork.”

Edward nearly dropped his phone. “What? Are you sure? There’s some mistake!”

“If I recall correctly,” the lawyer said, “you and Mr. Benson were childhood friends, and he admired you greatly. He often mentioned how you stepped down from the top role to become a regular employee, despite having co-founded the firm with him.”

“Yes, I did, but…”

“In exchange for leaving the company,” the lawyer continued, “he asked a favor from his close friend, and I’d like you to come to see us when you arrive. We’ll be expecting you. I’ll send details via email shortly,” he added before ending the call.

Edward was confused and saddened. Rick was gone, but why had he left him the company? Hadn’t he made Dan the owner a month earlier? And what did Hoffman mean when he said, “We are waiting for you”? Who else was involved?

To find out, Edward visited the lawyer’s office once the details arrived. There, Dan explained why his grandfather had transferred the company to him, and things began to make sense.

“Grandpa wanted me to learn how to run a business because he hoped I’d become a good businessman like him. So he gave me the company. But I made terrible choices, and I fired many important staff members,” Dan admitted with regret.

“I realize I wasn’t a good boss. I wouldn’t mind if Grandpa appointed you as CEO. He knew you could take care of the company better than I can. I’m sorry for what I did…”

Tears came to Edward’s eyes. “He entrusted this company to me, so I won’t let him down,” he said. “But you need to grow up, Dan, because I won’t go easy on you. Yes, you heard that right! I’m not firing you. You have a lot to learn, and I believe Rick wanted me to help you. That’s probably the favor he asked, right?” he questioned, and Hoffman nodded.

“Alright then,” Edward sighed. “Get ready, Dan, because this will be a rough ride. You better be prepared.”

Later, after he took charge of the firm, Edward worked hard alongside Dan, guiding him and showing how difficult it can be to succeed. Over the years, once he believed Dan was ready, Edward appointed him as the company’s CEO.

“I was upset when you fired me,” Edward told Dan on his first day as boss, “but I see I’m getting too old for those monthly reports. Now that I’m retired, just make sure you don’t disappoint Grandpa or me. We have high hopes for you, Dan.”

Dan promised he would do well, and he has. The company thrives under his leadership, and Rick can be proud of both his grandson and his old friend.

Lessons from this story:

• Nothing comes easy; you must work hard to succeed. Dan learned this when working with Edward, and it helped him become a better boss.
• Age is mainly a mindset. Edward was older but still competitive because he believed he could do his job. His positive attitude kept him going until he realized he needed rest.

Share this story with your friends. It might lift their spirits and motivate them.