Over the course of the last half-decade, we’ve written plenty of stories about homeowners who, facing foreclosure, just walked away from their doomed homes. But a man in Minnesota decided to go one step beyond, choosing to leave his 11-year-old son behind in the house he could no longer afford.

But don’t worry. He also left behind a PlayStation, and a note:

To my son: If this paper is wet, it’s because I am crying so bad. You know your dad loves you more than anything. This economy got (illegible) there are no jobs for architects so I have to go because the sheriff will take the house July 27. There will be no more me … Some good news is your mother is still alive. Though I do not think it is for the best.

This all came as a surprise to the son, who followed the note’s instruction to take his gaming console over to the neighbor’s house and pray they would be kind enough to take him in.

Which they did, while authorities spent five weeks trying to hunt the father down. The boy is now living with a great aunt.

Meanwhile, the proud papa was convicted earlier this week on one count of gross misdemeanor child neglect. He is to be sentenced in March.

“I wasn’t thinking about myself in any way shape at all,” he told CBS Minnesota after being convicted. “I was just thinking about my son, and this is awful…. I just wouldn’t wish it would happen to me — going through foreclosure. I wouldn’t wish it on anybody and I love my son to death.”

Father of the year also thinks he has a shot of getting his son back: “I am going to keep trying. I’m not going to give up.”

Lakeville Dad Guilty Of Abandoning Son [CBSLocal.com]

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