Accidently deleted all photos from dad's iPhone

[xAlfredo]

Ugh..
I accidently deleted all of the photos/contacts/etc from my dad's iPhone.
It was totally unintentional.
An app I was downloading required iOS 6 and I updated his iPhone to it. Well, we never once had to plug his iPhone into iTunes (he doesn't have any music on it, so there was no need) and when I plugged it in when it told me to, it said "Welcome to your New iPhone", make it a new iPhone or restore backup (there were none).. He had over 1k pics and they were of the jobs he's done in the past year since he has had his phone.
Ugh.
I feel so freaking terrible. I didn't mean to do it.
I was downloading the app on his phone because my android phone didn't support it. :(
How can I tell him this bad news?
The last time I told him that his pics were accidentally deleted off of his camera about 5 years ago, he threw the camera out of the car window and busted it (we were driving when it happened).

Any advice? :/

[ByXaz]

One of two things I can see:
1. Just casually put his phone back and see if he notices (Probably shouldn't do.)
2. Go up to him and explain the whole situation honestly

[Luminous]

Though it'll suck while you tell him, I think it is the right thing to do. He must love you to some degree, and hopefully he'll understand it was an accident.

[salty]

That is why people should always have a back up of their phone

[NikosamA98]

This is worse than losing my glasses. I think you should tell him and then run away into your room because he could throw the phone into your head :S

[justin 13]

Dude be honest with your Dad. Shit happens. Maybe He got a back up?

[teen.jpg]

Just tell him that something went wrong and they got deleted. It wouldn't be lying, but it's better then telling the whole truth.

[CharlieHorse]

Unless icloud has it backed up sorry they're lost. That's why I hate ios and idevices. They're simplified to a point where technical issues with them can't be solved at all.

There could be a possibility that if you didn't restore or factory reset the phone that the photos are still on the memory card of the phone, but are labeled as trash to be overwritten, but I'm not so sure. Best way to know is to take it to an apple atore for a Genius Bar appointment. I know apple has worked hard on it's formatting with information to prevent disk fragmenting, so It might be permanently gone. :( sorry dude.

[Cooper197]

Apple stuff is made to be simple, so unless it is backed up to iCloud or an Iomega Hero or something like that, they are gone. There is no memory card, and things are designed for the phone that when it deletes, it deletes.

[DerBear]

I think obviously you'll have to talk to him and take whatever he says and move on. You don't really much of a choice in the matter because he'll find out or have a strong suspicion which will make things really awkward between you two.

I guess in future you'll have to respect your dads stuff and not play with it.

[Cygnus]

Go up to him and confront him like a man.

[Mirage]

Don't panic, if you just own up to your mistakes and tell him he can't get mad at you. Make sure you're not rude when telling him, don't interrupt him talking to someone else so you can tell him for example. Get him at a good time when he's happy and maybe he'll let you go easy.