Introduction
Following Rory Feek’s emotional blog post addressing a family dispute, his daughter Heidi Feek has issued a powerful open letter responding to her father’s claims. The disagreement centers around the care of Rory’s youngest daughter, Indiana, and has escalated to the point where Heidi and her sister Hopi are considering legal action.
The conflict became public when Rory published a blog post titled “love dad” on Sunday, August 31st, in which he expressed his heartbreak over his daughters’ allegations, asserting that Indiana “has never been more loved or better cared for than she is right now.”
Within hours, Heidi responded with her own open letter, shared with People and later on Instagram. In it, she stated that she and Hopi were relieved to finally hear from their father after months of unanswered attempts to connect. “Your right of of course online isn’t the place to settle this. We don’t know if you are aware, but we’ve been trying to reach you for months now offline, but you haven’t been responding,” Heidi wrote.
Directly addressing Rory’s blog post, Heidi emphasized the need for actions over words. “Our hope is that this letter will find you so you can know where our hearts are. Love is action, not words. We forgive you for your unkind words. You called us cowardly in your blog post for not facing you. We forgive you,” she continued. Heidi also referenced a past conversation where Rory allegedly declared he was “done being our father,” stating, “The last time we sat down to have this conversation without a mediator as you requested, you told us you were done being our father. We forgive you.”
To underscore their attempts to communicate, Heidi included a screenshot of numerous unanswered text messages sent to Rory in July, inquiring about Indiana, whom Heidi claims she last saw in June.
Heidi’s letter went on to detail a list of grievances for which she and Hopi have chosen to forgive their father, including a childhood incident where he allegedly abandoned them in the middle of the night and boarded a Greyhound bus – an event Rory himself recounts in his audiobook, explaining his temporary desire to escape his responsibilities before ultimately returning home concerned about his daughters’ well-being. “We found peace in our own lives and have taken the long journey of healing,” Heidi wrote, adding, “We have come out strong[er] on the other side of our childhoods.”
A significant point of contention for Heidi is Rory’s assertion that Indiana’s care has “never been better,” particularly in light of the passing of Indiana’s mother, Joey Feek, in 2016 when Indiana was only two years old. Rory recently married Rebecca in July, prompting Heidi to express her sorrow for Joey, writing, “My heart aches for Joey. You went on to say, ‘for the first time in her life, she has a mother.’ How can you say that?”
Heidi also voiced serious concerns regarding Homestead Heritage, the Christian community Rory and Rebecca are now a part of. She highlighted past arrests and charges of child abuse involving members of the community. While Rory acknowledged the possibility of “a few bad apples” within large groups, Homestead Heritage stated that their ministry has always exposed and reported any instances of abuse.
Concluding her letter with a clear statement of intent, Heidi wrote, “Love is action, and we love our little sister Indiana more than anything in the world, so we are taking action. Love, your daughters.”
Adding another layer to the unfolding situation, Heidi’s husband, Dylan Hodges, also penned a letter to Rory. Hodges addressed Rory’s decision to no longer allow Indiana to have overnight visits at their home in Alabama. In his blog post, Rory explained that while Indiana misses her sisters and he wishes for them to see her, he stopped the sleepovers because Hopi and Heidi allegedly disrespected his wishes regarding Indiana’s exposure to certain entertainment.
Hodges countered this, stating, “While I tried my best to respect your wishes when Indie came to visit us, we never allowed her to look at screens and always prayed before meals, etc. I’ll admit that I regularly let her listen to Disney songs and sometimes even Whitney Houston on my iPhone. I know you said no music, but please don’t punish the girls for my actions.”
Furthermore, Hodges revealed that he has recorded conversations with Rory and his older daughters, stating, “I have been shocked and appalled by the way you have treated all your children, so I felt the need to document it. You are no hero. You are no victim.”
While a lawyer for Heidi did not immediately respond to requests for comment, it remains uncertain whether legal action has been officially initiated and what specific claims might be involved. Rory, in his blog post, acknowledged his daughters’ anger and desire for justice but expressed his belief that such actions are not the solution. “I will readily admit that I wasn’t a perfect father when they were young, but I tried to be a good one, and I continue every single day to do my very best for Indiana,” he wrote.
This developing family dispute has brought private matters into the public eye, raising questions about the well-being of young Indiana and the fractured relationship between Rory Feek and his adult daughters. The emphasis on “action” in Heidi’s response suggests a determined effort to address their concerns regarding their sister’s care and their relationship with their father.