I think every parent’s worst fear is being abandoned or forgotten on some level. When our kids stop needing us, I imagine it at least feels that way. I think the key to making sure you are included in your adult children’s lives and remain a priority to them is to lay the foundation of love, trust, and support when they are young. It is a lot easier to make time for a parent who they want to see over who they have to see. But parents need to have realistic expectations: Adult children are their own people, with their own families and lives to attend to, and can’t necessarily drop everything for us all the time. It is a balance that must be struck for all parties involved.
It seems like the latter certainly wasn’t the case for one family in Florida. William Nowak, 84, of the Palm Bay area was arrested on December 9, 2025, over a domestic dispute involving his son, according to People. In a probable cause affidavit reviewed by Click Orlando, it was revealed that a 911 call about a shooting came from the 1600 block of Hawksbill Street from a caller who claimed to be the victim’s wife.
Nowak lived in the home with his 85-year-old wife, who is on hospice care, and their 62-year-old daughter, who has a disability. According to Detective Nicole Brown, he reportedly was caretaker for both women, People reported. His son and daughter-in-law visited them on December 9, and that’s when Nowak began getting upset that the couple didn’t visit them over the weekend, despite the two visiting the house weekly. The wife stated, according to the affidavit, that the two began arguing and Nowak vowed he was going to shoot his son unless he got out of the house.
It was then that Nowak allegedly entered his bedroom, got his handgun and proceeded to shoot his son in the face. The son’s wife says he went back into the bedroom, returned without the gun, and asked “What just happened?” He then allegedly proceeded to cry and scream. The bullet struck the son in the face and became fragmented.
Currently the son is in the hospital and sedated because of his injuries. Nowak was booked in the Brevard County Jail on charges of attempted murder and on December 11 was ruled to be held with no bond.
