Touching
🤧
‘My parents broke the news. ‘You were adopted at age 2.’ For the first time, I understood my parents had left me behind, forever.’: Adoptee overcomes addiction, ‘I needed to fall in love with myself again’
“I felt unloved. I tried to prove my worth and acted out to get attention from loved ones. At 14, I started experimenting with drugs. I continued on a rampage until I found heroin at age 15 with the help of an older boyfriend. ‘Please let me come home,’ I begged. I tried to stop many times. Then, one day, I found out I was pregnant. That little heartbeat was the sound of a chapter of my life closing forever.”
‘Are you ready to let her go? Babies sometimes need permission to go.’ I was so focused on bringing her home, I was shocked.’: Couple accept Trisomy 13 diagnosis, ‘Our angel had a short mission on Earth’
“’Some babies with this condition didn’t live past 7 days.’ I was heartbroken. I started thinking of my father. It was his first grandchild, and he probably couldn’t meet her. My sister was coming in 12 days, and she might not make it in time. I told my husband, ‘I’m not going home without our baby.’ I was so focused on bringing her home, her words shocked me.”
‘How long has he been like this?’ I yelled. His temperature read 105. ‘You can’t have him,’ I said to death. ‘Not again.’: Bereaved mom describes parenting after loss during pandemic
“The doctor came in, ‘We need to run some tests.’ He doesn’t know. She died inside of ME! I was the one who could have saved her. Do you know how hard it is needing to prove to the world I can keep my children alive? ‘Please stay. Please stay,’ I whispered.”
‘The police came, and my mother hid my brother. ‘Where is he?’ I couldn’t leave. I had to protect them.’: Woman survives abuse, abandonment as she helps raise 4 special needs siblings
“My step-father would hide food and I wasn’t allowed to sit with them. Then I got pregnant at 17. I had to run and hide wherever I found a good place, and sometimes it was too late. I had to protect my brothers.”
‘Please give me a miracle. Turn me into a girl overnight.’ I kept it a secret. I was on a train headed for a dead end.’: Transgender teen embraces identity after life-long battle, ‘I am finally me’
“My family began deteriorating. My parents separated. My mom went from a healthy, loving parent to an alcoholic who couldn’t care for herself. She disappeared, temporarily, and then forever. I accepted I would have to continue living in fear and shame.”
‘I’m gay. I’m seeing a woman.’ My mom quickly pulled me into my room and shut the door. There was a concerned, almost hopeful, look on her face.’: Woman urges ‘I wouldn’t change my parents for the world’ after both come out as LGBTQ
“My mom and dad were still married. For the next few months, I kept my mom’s secret. It killed me inside. Then, one day, my dad looked at me, nervously turning a beer in his hand around in circles. ‘He’s my boyfriend, you know?’ My jaw hit the floor.”
‘You’re the girl of my dreams. I’m never letting go.’ I faltered as my ex came crawling back, but Justin never gave up.’: Woman finds dream man after toxic relationship, ‘He gives nothing short of his whole heart’
“I discovered his messages to another girl. They were all complaints about ME. There was always another girl who fell into the mix for a week or two, to give him something new. But when I tried to date, he was back on my doorstep, begging for another chance. ‘You should check out this dating site,’ my friend said. Justin showed me my worth was far more than I could ever imagine.”
‘I woke up to missed calls from a strange number. My husband was missing. ‘I don’t know where I am or where I’m going.’: Family reunited after man targeted by ICE, ‘He is home where he belongs’
“His boss explained, ‘Unmarked cars showed up on the job and arrested him.’ I was told by lawyers, ‘There is nothing we can do. He has to be deported.’ ICE offered no explanation. I only knew where has was by the GPS on our phones. He disappeared from our lives for 6 months.”
‘Do I send my child to their brick and mortar campus and worry about their physical health EVERY SINGLE DAY?’: Mom shares frustrations for fall school re-openings
“Most of us are going out of our minds trying to decide what to do in the fall, if we have a choice, which it sounds like we will. Damned if we do, damned if we don’t. That’s how I feel.”
‘I was 18 and woke up nauseous. ‘You need to tell Mark immediately.’ I’d broken off communication with the father 2 weeks before.’: Teen births baby girl, ‘I’d do it a million times over’
“I had one pregnancy test in my drawer and decided to bite the bullet. I watched it load and I could not take my eyes off of it for one second. After 3 minutes, the words appeared… ‘pregnant.’ My heart stopped. I got in my car and made the 10-minute drive to my ex’s house. I just wanted to get to him and hug him. I was carrying his child.”
