“Dear Bullies, I want you to know what you did to me was and never will be okay.”
‘Why me? What did I do to deserve it? ‘Even with all these questions, I want you to know I forgive you.’: Man pens powerful open letter to bullies, ‘You still have the power to change’
‘You have 5 years to live.’ It was the first time I ever saw my husband cry.’: Mother diagnosed with Metastatic Breast Cancer advocates for research, encourages ‘camaraderie and healing’
“I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 34. I was upset, but I wasn’t surprised. I thought it was completely normal, as I had never been to a breast health clinic before.”
‘At some point, the laughter stops. Then comes the heartaches, the lows. Find someone who will see your ugly, and sit in the silence with you.’: Woman shares ‘ultimate relationship test’
“Sometimes I don’t need ‘cheering up.’ When the curtain closes and the house is empty, I need someone who will stick around through the ugly, and sit in silence with me.”
‘On the plane ride home from my summer vacation in Mexico, my face went numb. ‘Maybe it’s just the high elevation?’ Soon, I couldn’t feel the right side of my body.’: Young single mom diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis graduates college
“The doctor told me, ‘There is no cure. You will have this for the rest of your life.’ Then, I noticed I was 3 weeks late for my period. I’d just been diagnosed with an incurable disease and now I was pregnant all at the age of 20?! My baby’s father said, ‘I want to live the life of an average 21-year-old, just not with you in it.’ My life changed in the blink of an eye.”
‘Stay with me!’ My body was septic. I’d never carry our child. ‘There’s a baby at the hospital. Do you want him?’: After losses, couple foster to adopt, ‘He’s the redemption to our pain’
“‘He’s 3 days old, do you want to pick him up?’”
‘The ultrasound tech got quiet. ‘Are you here alone?’ I was freaking out. ‘This is what I see. Here’s one, two, and three.’ THREE BABIES!’: Woman births miracle triplets after pregnancy losses
“I texted my husband at work. He read it and just stared at his computer screen for 45 minutes, taking it all in! ‘How are we going to afford this?’ We needed a new car, a new house, three cribs. We were going from parents of 1 to parents of 4!”
‘Calvin will be a little brother.’ They said, ‘You mean BIG brother?’ We assumed we’d get a newborn. Then we read her story.’: Couple adopts older child, ‘The sibling bond amazes us’
“She flexed her muscles. ‘Do you think they know how strong I am?’ She asked if I would take her picture and send it to her foster family, so they could see how strong she’s become.”
‘He gave up visions of Little League for IEP meetings and speech therapy. He avoids the stares, holding his teenager’s hand, and his entire heart.’: Woman pens appreciation letter to Autism Dads
“Late at night, when the rest of the family has gone to bed, he sits in the darkness of the living room. ‘Did I lose my patience too much? Did I apologize too much for my complicated boy?’ Deep inside, he is full of doubt and worry. This tender father is fighting a battle many will never understand.”
‘I know your story. I know what happened to your daughter.’ I felt sad for him. Ours is not a story of triumph.’: Mom shares emotions on child loss, ‘Everything DOES NOT happen for a reason’
“I ran into an old friend the other day. We caught up for a while and then I saw him look down at my arm. Looking back and forth from my tattoo to my eyes he finally said, ‘I know about Blake.'”
‘I don’t tent camp. I camp with room service. Cancer changed our marriage for the better.’: Widow says ‘if you get the chance, go on that trip’
“I used to plan my life meticulously in a paper planner. Every week was planned out ahead of time. Every meal, every event…Matt was the fun parent. If you get the chance, go on that trip.”