“These inmates had no obligation whatsoever to aid a bleeding, vulnerable deputy, but they didn’t hesitate.”
‘Locked in their cells, they saw our deputy fall to the concrete floor. Soon, the entire unit was pounding on their doors.’: Inmates rescue unconscious deputy, ‘There is goodness’
‘WHAT IF THEY TAKE MY KIDS?’ I dig around the house, opening boxes and leaving folders full of paper sprawled open like a tornado hit it.’: Mom shares ‘one hour in a life with anxiety’
“My brain is on hyperdrive. ‘They’ll probably arrest you, too. But is the gate closed? The dog can escape if the gate isn’t closed.’ Now, it’s 9:30 p.m. and I’m lying in bed having a panic attack because I can’t prove my kids are even mine. The only solution was to get out of bed.”
‘Did you get kicked in the face by a horse?’ In that moment, I saw red.’: Woman shares cleft lip and palate surgeries to give other parents hope
“To tell you I was hurt doesn’t do it justice. In that moment, I saw red. ‘No, I was born with a cleft lip and palate.”
‘Get those kids out of here!’ They began chest compressions. The pictures showed a happy family. Would I ever have that?’: Foster youth becomes adoptive mom after ‘aging out’
“I realized I’d be ‘aging-out’ of care. No one ever adopted me. I had to get a job and work. I needed to save money. I cried. I cried for the sacrifices I was forced to make.”
‘I don’t want to die.’ Tears ran down his face as he held his little brother’s hand. I want to take away his pain.’: Mom says 7-year-old son with rare cancer is ‘a force to be reckoned with’
“He started wearing his winter coat throughout the day and complained he was cold. I noticed he had some swelling on his privates. In my gut, I had a bad feeling something just wasn’t right.”
‘This man, alone and smiling, set up a home office with the tide coming in. ‘Why would he do that? He can’t stay there indefinitely.’: Divorcee thanks ‘mystery man’ for teaching life lesson, ‘It all matters’
“And then I checked myself. This mystery man on the beach reminded me it all counts, it all matters.”
‘I noticed an abandoned cart with a giant teddy. I stood, weighing my options. I snatched it out quickly and powerwalked to checkout.’: Mom to son with autism shares advice to younger self, ‘It wasn’t her fault’
“Now, listen, I am not a thief… really, I am not. But you see, I needed that bear. I needed this to be the best gift ever. If you are reading this and you had a teddy bear stolen I am sorry.”
‘If you withdraw care now, it’ll be easier to say goodbye.’ That’s not how love works. The looks of pity deepened.’: Mom births baby with Hypoxic Encephalopathy, ‘We never gave up hope’
“I sped to the house and scooped up her purple lipped, shivering body, then dropped to the floor and set her on top of my chest. We had to be on our top game 24 hours a day because if we slacked, she’d die. Discussions of death were as common as, ‘Hey, I emptied the dishwasher.’”
‘As I closed your bedroom door, I felt a whisper over my heart. ‘It’s not going to be like this for long. This is the most he’ll ever need his mama.’: Mom urges ‘hold on, soon you’ll have to let go’
“Today was hard. You woke up angry. ‘Want my mommy,’ was said more times than I could count. You were attached to my leg, pushing and shoving and prodding. By the end of the day, I had enough. But as I closed your bedroom door, I felt a whisper over my heart. ‘It’s not going to be like this for long.’ Soon, everything will change. Soon, I’m going to have to start letting you go, little by little.”
‘They don’t deserve a dad who’s grumpy and frustrated before the day has begun. Don’t let your grown-up stress steal their childhood innocence.’: Man shares candid reality of being a stay-at-home dad
“It’s day 2 as a stay-at-home dad and I’ve already lost it. Actually, I lost it at day 1.5. I’m not cut out for this.”