“He wouldn’t look at me, he would hand me money and say he wanted a six pack of Natty. He handed me a debit card and a grocery list and told us we could spend $20 on ourselves. I jumped for joy as soon as I shut the window. A couple hair cuts later, he hands me a check.”
‘He hands me a check and I walk out to the car and see he put ‘Kate.’ I cried. I looked back and really looked at him. So tiny and frail. I told him I preferred ‘butthole.’: Woman shares ‘drive-thru friendship’ story of kindness, ‘I really miss him’
‘Why suffer when there’s medication!’ I begged for help, no one heard.’: Widow suffers PTSD, finds herself, ‘I finally embraced the woman I once knew’’
“’I can’t do this anymore.’ I was stuck in molasses, unable to move forward. ‘PTSD? That’s for those in the army, or for major trauma.’ I was speechless.”
I Became An Adult The Day My Mother Died
“It wasn’t the day I got my driver’s license. It wasn’t the day I got married or had children. Losing a parent changes you.”
‘My friends joked, ‘What if you’re actually pregnant?’ We laughed. At 19, my body was creating a life without my knowledge.’: Young woman details unexpected pregnancy, loss
“I’d been walking around with a big fat smile on my face, telling the world I was going to be the greatest mother for this little girl. ‘You made the right decision, it was meant to be.’ ‘You’re strong for going through this pregnancy.’ Then I felt a pop, and there I was, shaking my stomach trying to wake up my daughter.”
‘I wanted to give them a message in Heaven.’ I unfolded the paper and read the note through a cloud of tears.’: Surviving triplet writes message to deceased siblings
“I was shamed for talking about my children who died. I was told to concentrate on the living child I have, not the two no longer physically in my arms. My 7-year-old sat next to me as I wiped away tears. I asked her about that special note, handwritten with so much love.”
‘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.”
‘At 20, people judged our choice to get married. ‘You have to experience your single years and party it up.’ I didn’t want it. I wanted Marcus.’: Widow remarries after loss, ‘I love two incredible men’
“Then he went on a work trip and never came home. Our children were young, three under 5. I went from a blissfully happy marriage to having all of it ripped from me in an instant. And then came Dustin.”
’I want to reconsider keeping the baby.’ Then she changed her mind again. We booked a flight, not knowing the outcome.’: Couple recalls how disrupted adoptions led to son, ‘He is ours FOREVER’
“We hadn’t had contact with her for weeks. We were basically waiting with our phones for the call. We booked a flight and moved forward, not knowing the outcome. When we arrived, we found a nurse. ‘Let’s go meet your baby!’”
‘It would’ve been our 16th anniversary. ‘I miss the mess,’ is something you and I both never thought I’d say.’: Widow grieves loss of husband as anniversary approaches
“I couldn’t ever imagine a life without you, but here I am doing it. Living in spite of my dreams dying. And I miss it all.”
‘Late to work, I left my dogs behind with full bladders. I spilled my coffee. On my shirt. Three times. My ‘great day’ lasted until the sun came up.’: Widow says ‘survival looks good on you, kid’
“You know what they say: ‘When you plan your spouse’s funeral, you can pretty much do anything.’ I had one of those mornings. Despite all of it, I am surviving. I don’t think we remind each other enough that we’re proud just for making it through the day.”
