Brighten Your Day

He Wrote His Daughter A Letter Every Day. Now He’s Writing To Thousands Who Need A Dad

September 16, 2025

What started as a sweet tradition between a dad and his daughter has turned into something much bigger—an outpouring of love reaching thousands of strangers.

Buz Ecker / The Dad Project

When Rosie Paulik was a child heading off to summer camp, her dad, Buz Ecker, began writing her letters every single day. He kept up the practice through her college years and even after she moved back home to Cincinnati.

So when Rosie noticed her dad had a little extra time recently, she had an idea. She shared his love of letter-writing on TikTok, asking if anyone out there would like to receive a handwritten note from her dad.

The response was overwhelming.

That’s how The Dad Letter Project was born.

Buz now spends his days sending heartfelt, funny, and honest letters to people across the country—many of whom have never received a letter from a father figure before.

“They wanted a letter from my dad, but what they really wanted was a letter from a Dad,” Rosie explained.

For Buz, the project has become deeply meaningful.

“It’s very gratifying to be people’s fathers who don’t have one,” he told the Washington Post. “And it’s very gratifying to write a letter to people who have never gotten a letter from a father.”

The demand has been so great, Buz admits he’s still working through thousands of requests.

“I am still writing letters to people who responded to this project in July,” he said. “I’m about 3,000 behind.”

Even so, he continues one letter at a time—spreading fatherly wisdom, encouragement, and kindness to people who need it most.

Meet Buz and Rosie in the video below: