People Are Obsessed With This Story About A Dad Losing His Adult Daughter’s Hamster
"You are a lawyer, I am a hamster. We are not the same."
When Stephanie Veerman headed off to college, she left her beloved hamster with her dad.
But when Stephanie received a frantic text from her dad, Daniel, about an “emergency”, she never thought it would be about her hamster, Chester.
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Turns out Daniel misplaced Chester while cleaning out his cage, and started freaking out via text when he couldn’t find the little critter.
After Stephanie shared the pairs text log to Twitter, it went viral. “My dad took over my hamster once I went back to college and ended up getting really attached and today he escaped,” Stephanie tweeted. “And this goes to prove how truly pure my father is.”
my dad took over my hamster once i went back to college and ended up getting really attached and today he escaped and this goes to prove how truly pure my father is pic.twitter.com/JmTJl6jFBI
— Steph Veerman (@stephyj725) November 25, 2019
Four screenshots detailed the story of Daniel’s quest to find Chester. An extremely apologetic Daniel told his daughter that even though he had put Chester in his ball “a whole bunch of times, I should have double checked.” Despite Stephanie telling her dad it was ok, he just couldn’t stop apologising.
“Dad do not freak out, it’s just a hamster!! We will find him,” Stephanie texted. “Oh my God I’m so sorry, honey. I’m so sorry, I’m looking everywhere. I’m so wicked sorry, I’ll keep looking all day,” Daniel replied.
“This is the absolute worst ever. I’m never going to forgive myself if he doesn’t come back,” Daniel continue to text. “If I can’t find him today, I’m not going to work tomorrow so I can keep looking.”
Stephanie tried to calm her dad down again, but it wasn’t working. “Dad he’s just a hamster. I don’t blame you at ALL. You shouldn’t skip work,” Stephanie implored. “You are a lawyer and he is a hamster.”
I love your dad so much and also this is the most hilarious singular message I’ve ever read pic.twitter.com/pTIYuiWnMf
— send me cat pics (@Novaya_Mod3l) November 26, 2019
Not even Daniel’s master plan of using a ring of flour around the food bait worked to lure Chester out of wherever he was hiding. “I’m so sorry Steph. This is my biggest screwup ever. I will make it right,” Daniel said. “God is good, I will trust him. I know he likes peanut butter.”
Then 12 hours later, Stephanie’s dad found Chester in his cage. “Are you effing kidding me?” he text. “This was the most stressful day in my life since I took the bar exam.”
follow up: He did find him!!! pic.twitter.com/ObHSSmI4UU
— Steph Veerman (@stephyj725) November 26, 2019
This one is my favourite pic.twitter.com/cPPnF83E2v
— 💕Jay’s💕 (@julesxanne) November 27, 2019
“this was the most stressful day SINCE I TOOK THE BAR EXAM” 🥺🥺🥺🥺
— NO🎄H ☃️ 🇳🇿🇸🇬🇵🇭 (@puntangclan_) November 26, 2019
People soon became obsessed with the story and with Stephanie’s dad, otherwise known as ‘Hamster Dad’. The dedicated single father told Today that he grew an unexpected attachment to Chester. “I’m an empty-nester now,” Daniel said. “I don’t have a lot to take care of, and I almost screwed up the one thing I have.”
In awe over his pureness and unwavering dedication, the internet couldn’t help but express their love for Hamster Dad.
told him he had a lot of people on twitter who loved him so he did his hair and posed for this pic i’m dead i love him so much pic.twitter.com/urR2WMmeDE
— Steph Veerman (@stephyj725) November 27, 2019
But there was one little detail in the story that everyone loved the most — the fact that Stephanie’s dad is a lawyer and was willing to take a day off to find the little hamster.
“You are a lawyer and he is a hamster” is absolutely sending me 😭😭 https://t.co/ZbFRS6Pl3g
— clo 🐰 (@__chloehenryxxo) November 26, 2019
Your father is so utterly pure
also “You are a lawyer and he is a hamster” slays me— Ohm (Unit of Resistance)🆘️ (@HereToResist) November 26, 2019
“You are a lawyer and he is a hamster” sent me
— maybe: amanda (@tamandarind) November 26, 2019
With some even suggesting that the iconic line could be the new statement that could apply to any situation.
From now on, any time one of my friends is upset over a dude I will only reply with “You are a lawyer, he is a hamster”
— sarah (@sarahgundle) November 27, 2019
“You are a lawyer and he is a hamster” is what ima text every home girl going through a break up from now on https://t.co/LZe0EKkEuz
— Marcella Arguello (@marcellacomedy) November 27, 2019
“You are a lawyer and he is a hamster” is going to be my new mantra in any competitive situation. I am not a lawyer.
— Seth C. Payne (@SethCPayne) November 26, 2019
And, as expected, after the tweet went viral, the line “you are a lawyer, and he is a hamster” started to get the royal meme treatment.
"you are
a lawyer,
and
he
is
ahamster."
– rupi kaur
— maddie (@maddieokbye) November 27, 2019
you are a lawyer, i am a hamster. we are not the same. https://t.co/VwGWWXVCWG
— ketchup merengue (@PYROMANCING) November 27, 2019
he was a lawyer
he was a hamster
can i make it anymore obvious?
he was his pet
til he ran away
what more can i say?
dad had an idea
it could never fail
got his ham back via flour trail— 🍁🌀MAD LAD🌀🍁 (@madsscribbles) November 26, 2019
In a beautiful end to this crazily wholesome story, Daniel told BuzzFeed that since Chester was found, his attention is now on the holidays.
After a trip to Petco, Stephanie’s dad says Chester is “going to look like Santa Claus just in time for Christmas.”