“I sat on my knees in front of our worker, begging her to allow my kids to say goodbye. She finally said yes. I watched them walk him to the car and as soon as I closed the door, I fell to the floor.”
‘He said, ‘Mommy sad.’ We wouldn’t see our son again. The truth was, he was never ours.’: Child abuse survivor advocates for foster son ‘no matter the cost’
‘I texted her, ‘My baby has died inside me. Would you still be willing to come?’: Mom to child born still thanks birth photographer for ‘most precious’ photos
“We found out at 38 weeks and 4 days that our baby had died inside of me. I knew immediately, more than ever, I wanted those photos.”
‘She wants to meet you!’ I remember the call like it was yesterday. I squealed like a little kid!’: Woman with endometriosis adopts ‘sweet little angel’ after traumatic pregnancy
“I remember church where children would sing the sweetest songs. I’d think, ‘I can’t have that.’ I explained to my future husband I may not be able to conceive.. We wanted it so badly.”
‘I got the text, ‘Lex, we had an accident, but I don’t want to worry you.’ My son was the baby who literally fell onto his head accidentally.’: Mom to become NICU nurse after miracle baby survives traumatic brain injury
“I was told by a doctor, ‘You need to accept your sons’ fate. You are severely in denial.’ I was 20 years old and terrified. I was labeled as the Mom who ‘wasn’t emotionally responding appropriately.’ The media and local news blew it up into something it wasn’t.”
‘I felt sheer terror. ‘Are you scared off yet?’ I knew if I met him, I wouldn’t say no. This is what I signed up for.’: Single mom adopts medically complex baby with Down syndrome, ‘I knew he was mine’
“I thought he was going to die that day. I put my life on hold to be there for him every day and night. I knew he was mine.”
‘Is it the right decision?’ They came to take her. I stood, paralyzed, and watched as she disappeared. There was debilitating fear.’: Girl with Down syndrome survives new heart surgery, ‘She’s one of the first to have it’
“I kept taking her picture, scared it could be the last one. I counted every eyelash, perfectly placed on her eyes. She would be the first on the West Coast to have this surgery. I didn’t want to let her go because then the decision would be final.”
‘My left foot hurts!’ He was so hot, his temperature was 103.6. But he’s so healthy. How could this happen? He’s only 4.’: Mom of Leukemia Warrior says, ‘I admire his spirit’
“Frankie woke up complaining about his stomach. We took his temperature, and you could feel the heat radiating. I kept thinking he had contracted the virus. I could feel my heart in my throat.”
‘OH MY GOD! BOMB!’ An old lady was holding onto the banister for dear life. I had to leave her. All I could hear was sobbing.’: Mom recounts surviving 9/11 while pregnant, ‘I’m blessed to be alive’
“‘WHAT IS GOING ON?’ Everyone was screaming. My friend fell and was getting trampled. I worried for my unborn child. When the second plane hit, we ran.”
‘I explained my past. ‘The man took photographs. He was 57 years old.’ I hated myself and turned to drugs.’: Woman with BPD gets sober, changes life, ‘I love how far I’ve come’
“I struggled to talk to the therapist. I explained what I went through when I was 12. I encountered a child predator. Having my son pushed me to find the answers as to what happened.”
‘In between breaths, I sobbed, ‘Breathe, baby. Please. Please, breathe.’ They placed my tiny infant onto a gurney.’: Mom raises awareness about RSV, Kawasaki’s Disease after hospital scare
“For seven days, she was a medical mystery.”