“It had been 4 months since we’d had any contact. I hear someone calling my name. It’s my son! It’s a miracle. I hugged my sickly thin boy and told him, ‘I love you.’ I didn’t want to let go. I offered to buy him a meal. Our interaction was less than 10 minutes long. I left him there.”
‘My sweet baby, my firstborn son, is homeless, mentally ill and addicted to heroin.’
‘Our son screamed like he was being tortured at school. Teachers, parents, and students stood, jaws agape, staring in complete shock, assuming the worst. We felt completely isolated.’
“There were red flags when he was only 18 months old. Many doctors, because of his age, wouldn’t even see us. When meltdowns occur, we feel embarrassed and panicked. Everyone either tries to help in ways that usually make things worse, or just stare without a clue how to help.”
‘Suicide is always a viable option,’ I read the Snapchat my 16-year-old son sent his ex-girlfriend that morning. ‘How is your day going?,’ I texted him. I didn’t tell him she had sent it to me.’
“He said his dad was picking him up, and that he would be okay. I thought to myself, ‘He’s going to be with his dad, he will be fine.’ I heard his dad scream and the phone went dead. I pushed the pedal to the floorboard, and then my phone finally rang.”
‘I took maternity photos in the dress I wore to my husband’s funeral.’
“I didn’t know I was pregnant on the day of the funeral. Clothes were strewn about in a panic as I rummaged through every drawer, hamper and closet 2 hours before I was supposed to meet the photographer. Then I saw it. Hanging quietly in the corner where it had remained for the last 7 months.”
‘Mason attempted the choking challenge he saw on social media. It went horribly wrong. Nothing could be done to bring Mason back.’
“You choke yourself to the point of almost passing out, and then stop. It’s supposed to create a type of high. We are devastated.”
‘My husband left me after going into a depression. He just kept saying it was ‘his problem.’ He decided this life, our life, wasn’t for him.’
“He was stuck in a marriage he didn’t want to be in. The night we separated he told me he loved me but, ‘Not in that way’ anymore. He told me not to cry, he couldn’t handle it. I couldn’t breathe.”
‘I got my bags in the car. ‘Don’t worry, I’m NOT going to come home wanting to adopt.’ My husband shook his head. I was so nervous, I was going to puke. I wasn’t sure WHY I was going.’
“It was a normal Tuesday. I looked down to see them calling. ‘They will have his visa ready on THURSDAY!’ I replied, ‘Like in 2 days, THURSDAY?’ Tears started streaming down my face. ‘WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?’ I couldn’t speak. All I heard was, ‘Book your flight. Go get your son.’”
‘Is he gone?!,’ I yelled. It wasn’t my husband. He was so excited to be a dad. He was born to be one. I held his hand, telling him how much his unborn son and I loved him.’
“Scott just started a new job. We bought a house and were moving. He started not feeling well, but we attributed it to the stress of everything changing in our life. He went to work after getting me settled in the hospital. When he came back, he looked pale. I told him to get some rest, I would be just fine.”
‘You okay, buddy?’ He looked into my soul with those big blue teary eyes and started crying on my shoulder. He was defeated. ‘What’s the purpose of life?’ It’s a difficult question.’
“The park was a packed with kids. Without hesitation, I see him walk up to a crowd of 7 and 8-year-olds. ‘Hi, what’s your name?,’ Jude asks. The girls ran off to play together. Leaving Jude behind, confused. After a half hour of rejection, his head was down. He was defeated.”
‘HE’S FINALLY ON THE PLANE! In desperation, we went to another airline desk to beg for help. She even sat on the floor with him. He was so frightened. He was in a wheelchair due to them medicating him.’
“This is my son, Leo. He has severe autism and the mental capacity of a 3-year-old. This airline refused to let him fly home because he was distressed when they wouldn’t let him have his doll. Police were called, which caused his meltdown.”