'If this is being read, I have passed:' Man leaves touching letters for his family to read after his death

A man has left a lasting legacy for his family that will continue long after his recent death in the form of dozens of letter to his wife, their Longview, Texas community and his 1-year-old daughter.

Mitchell Whisenhunt passed away last week following his battle with Marfan Syndrome, a genetic disordering affecting the connective tissue of the heart and blood vessels. Shortly after his death, Whisenhunt's wife Ashley discovered the cache of more than 30 letters that he had left for them to read.

Many of letters are addressed to his young daughter for her to read on her birthdays. They start with her next birthday, when she will turn two, and continue all the way until she turns 18.

Ashley Whisenhunt told ABC affiliate KLTV that reading the letters has been a surreal experience, but the letters reflect her husband's character.

"I know he was thinking about us," she said.

Whisenhunt's family has a GoFundMe page dedicated to covering his medical and final expenses.