“I lost 30 pounds, began sleeping 14 hours a day, and suffered terrible stomach pains. It was raining when I received the call. When I hung up, I watched the raindrops fall down the window in streaks. I was preparing to take my hands off the wheel and hand it to my doctors.”

‘One day, you’ll need a transplant.’ I was DEVASTATED. I never really accepted this, until I had no other option.’: Man with autoimmune hepatitis undergoes liver transplant, ‘It’s my second chance’

‘They told me, ‘It’s nothing to worry about. Every baby does this.’ She was turning BLUE. I knew this wasn’t normal.’: New mom births baby with congenital heart defect, ‘She makes me proud every day’
“I broke down crying, ‘Promise me she’s going to be okay.’ I didn’t think I’d be coming home with my daughter. I couldn’t understand how my 2-year-old was on life support. How I could breathe and she couldn’t?”

Tommy Pilling, Husband In Longest-Living Down Syndrome Couple, Dies From Covid-19
His sister-in-law writes, “We are in shock and are heartbroken. Thank you Tommy for showing me what unconditional love was.”

‘The manager said, ‘You don’t have to pay for your food. You’re all set.’ He continued, ‘We want Ajay to feel comfortable here. We hope you come back.’: Mom to autistic boy ‘in disbelief’ after restaurant’s act of kindness
“This was our first time out since COVID. My son flopped on the restaurant floor. He began pulling my hair, biting me, screaming. I walked out as people looked at us with judgement, a familiar feeling.”

‘You’re lucky to be alive!’ The last thing I remember is a nurse stroking my head. I sobbed when I saw my stomach.’: 27-year old beat Covid 19 after near-death experience, ‘Always trust your gut’
“My body was unrecognizable. It was like a lightning strike. I nearly passed out trying to take my dog to use the bathroom.”

‘This year has left us numb. We’re searching for just a little bit of Christmas magic. That’s when I had the idea.’: Mom creates Drive-Thru Santa for neighborhood, ‘We need joy now more than ever’
“This year will be different. The children can’t touch his white beard, feel the texture of his velvet suit, or sit on his lap. Yet, our neighborhood came together to keep the Christmas magic alive. The spirit is the same.”

‘Scrolling through Facebook, a photo of my high school friend grabbed a hold of me and wouldn’t let go.’: Woman celebrates mom ‘forging ahead’ during unpredictable pandemic, ‘She represents all of us’
“You see, like so many others, this girl has had a really trying year. A mother of 3, her primary income was cut in half. Just when her world flipped completely upside down, she refused to let it break her.”

‘I heard her voice and knew our lives would change forever. ‘Nic, you need someone to drive you to the hospital.’ I looked at my daughter and saw her eyes well with fear. ‘Momma, what happened to Daddy?’: Mom recounts near-loss of husband, stresses importance of ‘telling kids the truth’
“He said, ‘Ma’am, we have an unidentified man with head trauma coming in, I’m sure it is your husband.’ At that moment, I was escorted by a solemn social worker to a small, littered room. A room meant to allow family members to react to what they would tell me in private. I went downstairs to hold our daughter when she woke up. I told her in an age-appropriate manner what had happened to Daddy, and what our next step would be. She held me and calmly said, ‘I know Daddy will be okay.’ Your kids DESERVE the TRUTH.”

‘All the progress he made is gone. We’re back to square one.’: Mom to son with nonverbal autism discusses impact of COVID-19
“6 years of coaching, teaching, and planning went down the drain. When the world goes back to normal, we get to start all over again.”

‘You can’t withstand this storm.’ I AM THE STORM. I’m determined, I pushed myself harder than I ever have in my life.’: Woman recovering from COVID-19 and complications details hospital experience, ‘I will always keep fighting’
“March 23rd. I start coughing up blood and it’s hard to breathe. My Apple Watch is saying my resting heart rate is 157. It’s never happened before, so obviously it’s concerning.”