A little light bulb idea on the letter.
As I had written a little while back about the possibility that Herb was still alive, that through the de-institutionalization of psychiatric patients Herb was released.
The female may have been a nurse at the facility or someone he met. He may have written the letter for Johnny, but because of fear of being placed back into another institution he disappeared. He may have told the woman to keep the letter for a specific amount of time, so that no one could find him.
Time passed and the woman may have forgotten about the letter or she just didn't know how to contact Johnny. She may also have known about Johnny's coma and knew Johnny wouldn't be able to respond to the letter, so she kept it. Johnny over the past years has had many newspaper articles written about him. Maybe because of his notoriety she now knew that he was out of the coma, but she still didn't know how to contact him or was unable to because of security issues. She contacted Walt, the Sheriff in an attempt to get information about Johnny. Walt trying to protect Johnny, probably wanted to verify what the woman had told him by meeting her in the park. He was on his way to see Gene, to verify the contents of the letter when he was killed. Gene kept it a secret about Walt's death until Johnny had the vision about it. What if Walt had time to give Gene the letter before he died? Maybe Gene is still trying to cover his butt by not letting Johnny know that he has kept yet another secret about Herb.
Gene will eventually tell Johnny. Johnny will then go in search of his father using his visions to help people along the way!
Just an idea!

I would have to watch again-oh the hardship - but I believe Walt was holding the letter when he shoved Gene out of the way. I didn't see him hand it to Gene or Gene reaching for it before the roof fell in on Walt. I think the letter itself is so much ashes but I think the knowledge it contained will come out. I doubt Gene will release it voluntarily to John but I do think he will be back later in the season to help fill in the blanks.

It's definitely more a plausible story than Stillson and John are related. It's also a reason Gene would be on the run or would try to thwart John progressing in finding Herb if Herb didn't want to be found. I think alot would depend on how much embarrassment Gene could stand and to protect the memory of Vera. It wouldn't look great for them to have stashed Herb away and lied about him supposedly dying. It would knock John sideways though. But, they did say that they were planning suprises that hopefully no one would guess. This is a very easy one to guess at. It may not be right but it highly probable since we never saw John go to his dad's grave of have visions of his father's death. To make this event a real shocker they'd have to add something alot more promising than the "daddy's alive" angle. Something Herb's connected to or later show that Herb and John may stand on the opposite sides of the philosophical fence about something. Or maybe Herb really is nuts.

Great observation! Now, we have to consider that the letter burnt up OR Gene did have time to rescue Walt but instead, let Walt die to save his own ass again! Gene really does have an ego! Or the letter was taken after Walt died, meaning it was taken from the personal effects before they were given to Sarah.

pic of Walt with letter while rescuing Purdy:

I think Walt was looking for something more than that. There was something in that letter that might be hurtful to Johnny,But I still think what puts him on the road is Sarah! She is going to Tell Johnny to LEAVE! Blaming him for his failure to see and prevent Walt's death. She's Not going to be any too nice about that.
But let's put this into context here Johnny and Walt and Bruce made this show Now even Purdy is gone running from Janus's backers! And there's that eogotistical amazon reject twerpy Brat of A temporary sheriff to contend with! I'm actually angry at the writers about walt. because it drives a wedge between Johnny and Sarah. But to add insult to injury They came up with a five time DPS rejected dumb blonde hiding behind her friend Loreal! FIRE THOSE WRITERS OUT THE NEAREST AIRLOCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

fire the writers out the airlock......do we have a loyal Galactica fan here as well?

Ogo Bratty!
Nice 'Stop Frame' action - i never noticed that Walt held the letter right out there.
(And i just watched Heritage again, yesterday night)

You know, I considered that too. He thought his father had died when he had been institutionalized, however wouldn't Johnny have gone to a funeral or at least been to his grave at some point in his life? And if he was dead then the dates wouldn't add up, something he may not have realized as a child, but certianly as an adult.

I was watching the scene where JOhn had touched Purdy and right after John had asked about why Walt wanted to see Purdy and Purdy said it was about John, Purdy seemed to want to leave and he never touched John. Not that he needed too or anything but it does make one wonder even though he said he needed time to get away.

Thanks for the pic Bratty!

In the few or I should state mini or lack thereof ads prior to S6 that played before the premiere, the one ad that caught my attn was the one from S4 "Heroes and Demons" where Johnny is at the railroad yard with Thadius. In this ep he tells Thad that he grew up without a father and that not even a day goes by that he doesn't think about it. The words are not in the ad. In the ad Thad lets Johnny (thru trust) hold his hand. Then the promo comes on and states that Johnny is going to Take it all back!!
I wonder what was meant by "take it all back".
The fatherless part or the trust part????????
Or the Big Question: Take What Back????????????????? Something to again ponder.

Oh, great idea! I've been wondering why thy kept showing Thaddeus and John joining hands. John has virtually no memory of his father and particularly that surrounding events of "Babble On". He could get his memories back that he blanked out! And too, now that JJ is without a father and John is to fill that void, it will become a more prominent theme, particularly if that hint about Stillson coming around JJ. That was a pretty tempting offer for a kid. How can John compete with the VP of the US and the memory of Walt?!