“I know without a doubt my baby brother Mark put us together to save my life.”
By Eliza Murphy -
‘Right away I knew something was wrong. When the officer told us that he’s so sorry, but Mark died in a car accident, I completely lost it.’
By Eliza Murphy -
‘Hi Mom, I’m home, wake me up for school at 9, ok? I love you.’ I looked right at him. ‘I love you too, Alex. Get some sleep, it’s late.’ Off to bed we both went.
“When I went to wake him for school, the moment I saw him and touched his arm, I knew he was gone.”
By Eliza Murphy -
‘People joke about having an out-of-body experience, but it truly was.’ Brothers surprise bride with father-daughter dance from dad in heaven to Michael Bolton song, he responds
“My name is Dave West and I’m Kaley’s dad, and I love her very much. 1,800 times worth,” the voice of their late father can be heard at the beginning of the song.
By Eliza Murphy -
40 years ago my parents were asked if they would have an exchange student. I wonder if they knew the doors it would open to all of us?
“I look back with such wonder and appreciation of who my parents are. I will forever be in awe of the way they live their life.”
By Eliza Murphy -
‘When he first joined our family after losing both of his parents, these two were BEST friends. Lately though? They fight like cats and dogs. They are SO mean to each other.’
“They got along so well it felt like a fairy tale. But things quickly took a huge spiral downwards. My husband and I laid in bed going, ‘What in the world is happening right now? Why are they fighting so much?'”
By Eliza Murphy -
‘I gave him a letter today as he left for college. I never could’ve predicted how hard that drive away would be.’
“I decided to write Peyton a letter before he left. I needed to get out all of the things I wanted to say to him – the good and the bad. I’m sorry we took the easy way out. I wish we would have fought harder for you.”
By Eliza Murphy -
‘He got to meet his little brother for the first time. He had waited a long time for this moment. Adoption is beautiful.’
“Our son was worried. When I told him the birth mom would be the one bringing his brother in and handing him to us, he asked why she had to do it. He said, ‘Won’t she be sad?’”
By Eliza Murphy -
‘Dear Dad: From the prime age of nine, the words ‘I hate our f*cking kids, I wish they were dead.’ curved and shaped my memory’
“My addiction is despising you, making excuses for you, thanking you, wanting to hurt you, forgiving you, fearing you, my addiction is loving you when all I want to do is forget you.”
By LJ Herman -
‘So God made a sister’
“He knew you needed another set of eyes to bear witness to all the glorious magic and madness of your childhood – someone who could feel the ache of memories long past and smile with knowing eyes when you talk about the good ole’ days.”
By LJ Herman -
‘It’s so crazy you can peacefully go to sleep at night and then wake up to the tragic news that your 19-year-old brother has died.’
“It felt like someone had taken a sledge hammer to my heart. Why in the world is my LITTLE brother, who’s only 19, laying in a casket?”
By Eliza Murphy -
