“My daughter Ella has had a rough few years. Losing her uncle Jay (my brother) to suicide 2 years ago was incredibly hard on her and affected our family in many ways. Ella in particular connected with Jay’s unique view of the world and childlike innocence. Jay loved Ella and always put extra effort in making her happy whenever they were together.
Ella often recalls their final day spent together; she remembers giving her uncle a bigger hug than usual before spending time at a fairy-themed shop. Ella cherishes these memories and thinks of her uncle often. Their bond extended beyond going shopping, however. Jay was artistic like his niece, and encouraged her to always see the bigger picture in life.
Without fail, Jay would attend family birthdays and put extra thought into gifts for the children. He encouraged them to read by getting them books every birthday and Christmas. Ella loves reading so much now that she wants to be an author when she grows up.
Unsurprisingly, Jay’s unexpected passing hit Ella especially hard, and despite her usual strength and positive attitude, the past couple of years have been difficult for her. Not only has she experienced grief personally at a very young age, she has watched the family she loves struggle in the aftermath of Jay’s death.
Jay’s battle with depression only came to light after we heard the news of him taking his own life. Telling Ella the news was the hardest things I’ve ever done , but to my surprise, she only wanted to comfort me and be there for me.
Ella has always dreamed of having brothers and sisters so when she learned that her dream was coming true, it brought a wave of happiness and tears of joy. This is the moment she found out she is going to be a big sister to not one, but TWO babies. The emotion is raw and real. We are so blessed.
Despite the pain, Ella is convinced Jay is watching over his family and played a part in making this dream of hers come true in the most special of ways.
Telling Ella the news that we are having twins was something I wanted her to discover in a special way that she will never forget. At a recent baby reveal, we shared we are expecting 2 boys!”
This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Amy Pepyat of Australia. Submit your own story here, and subscribe to our best stories in our free newsletter here.
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