Grieving Woman Texts Her Dead Sister's Number, Then Someone Replies

A grieving woman was taken aback when she texted her late sister's number, only for someone to reply with a "cruel" message.

Faith Sidman, from Oregon, lost her beloved sibling two years ago, but would text her number from time to time as a coping mechanism.

Sidman, who has her sister saved in her phone under "Sissy," would send messages sharing her love and memories.

Out of the blue, a reply popped up on her phone, which simply said: "You have a wrong number."

Sidman shared the conversation to her TikTok page, @faithsidman1, where it shows she previously sent her sister a message saying: "I wish I could call you right now."

Clearly missing her sister on another day, she wrote: "Thinking about you lots today. I love you."

That was the message which prompted the callous response, and Sidman replied, explaining the reasons for her texts.

She wrote: "I'm sorry, my sister passed away two years ago and I still text her from time to time, I thought the number was out of service, I won't text anymore."

Rather than offering any sympathy or understanding for Sidman, the number snapped back: "This was a business. Please stop texting."

Despite getting such an icy response, Sidman tried to find a silver lining, as she captioned the clip: "At least I got to see her name pop up on my phone one last time."

The video, shared on Wednesday, has already been watched more than 1 million times, and can be seen here. People have slammed the unknown business as "heartless."

Jordon Braun commented: "How could someone be so cold like that. I'm sorry hun."

Kelsey Bolling thought: "I could only imagine the emotions when you saw 'she' texted you back and to open up the message to them being snarky. I'm so sorry."

Trin wrote: "I'm so sorry someone is so cold hearted like this baby, just keep texting the number. Hopefully they block it and u can keep texting to heal."

Danielle pointed out: "Ppl are so cruel I'm so sorry hun."

While Makayla added: "The fact that you said you thought the number was out of service and would stop yet they still felt the need to be rude doesn't sit well with me."

And Jen admitted: "If someone messaged me saying this.... I would allow them to continue if it helps them get through life."

Sidman, quoted by The Daily Dot, said: "After losing my sister I was devastated and I had a hard time accepting she was gone, but it was a nice release to be able to text her number as if she was still here.

"After getting that text it just made her being gone feel even more real, and the person being completely unsympathetic didn't help.

"I don't think it's necessary to expose the business because although unmoral, they were right. It isn't her number anymore.

"I also don't feel comfortable releasing the number for the same reason but also because even though it isn't, to me it still feels like that is her number."

There are millions of disconnected numbers in the U.S. that get recycled.

A database set up in April 2020 by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has begun collating out-of-use numbers, and currently has "over 102 million geographic and toll-free numbers."

They said the figure will keep growing, as small service providers began adding their disconnected numbers to the database as of October 2021.

The FCC also set up a database of recycled numbers, designed to prevent people getting calls for the previous owner.

It explained: "The FCC's Reassigned Numbers Database (RND) is designed to prevent a consumer from getting unwanted calls intended for someone who previously held their phone number.

"Callers can use the database to determine whether a telephone number may have been reassigned so they can avoid calling consumers who do not want to receive the calls."

Newsweek reached out to Sidman for comment.