“I sat on my knees in front of our worker, begging her to allow my kids to say goodbye. She finally said yes. I watched them walk him to the car and as soon as I closed the door, I fell to the floor.”
‘He said, ‘Mommy sad.’ We wouldn’t see our son again. The truth was, he was never ours.’: Child abuse survivor advocates for foster son ‘no matter the cost’
I’m In My 50s, And I Finally Found My True Friends
“I made two lines of people in my mind, the ‘Keepers’ and the ‘Move Alongs.’ I finally reached around myself, grabbed ahold of my backbone, and cut ties. It was the most liberating thing I have ever done.”
‘I am older than he was when he died, and there is nothing more unnatural than that.’: Widow powerfully reminisces on birthdays, ‘This is not the way it’s supposed to be’
“He was always supposed to be older than me, yet now he is suspended forever in time at 45. I don’t want to be older than him. It’s not the way it’s supposed to be.”
‘Lauren, are you with anyone right now?’ I looked at our GPS and he was still in the same spot. My legs went numb and I dropped.’: Widow finds strength in grief journey
“‘I have ‘extra’ appreciation for you today!’ He jokingly rolled his eyes towards me. I gave him a kiss, told him I loved him, and to be safe. Later, I texted Kev to see if he would be back at the house before me. He didn’t respond.”
‘I texted her, ‘My baby has died inside me. Would you still be willing to come?’: Mom to child born still thanks birth photographer for ‘most precious’ photos
“We found out at 38 weeks and 4 days that our baby had died inside of me. I knew immediately, more than ever, I wanted those photos.”
‘He leaned in for a hug. ‘Thank you. You saved me.’ He was refused rehab due to previous charges.’: Woman shares act of kindness for struggling addict, ‘There was no way I was giving up’
“One night, I noticed a young man who looked a little off standing outside on the patio. I approached him and introduced myself. I could tell something was wrong. After a while, he had spilled everything out to me. ‘I feel like I’m going to break down.’ He was refused rehab due to previous charges.”
‘She wants to meet you!’ I remember the call like it was yesterday. I squealed like a little kid!’: Woman with endometriosis adopts ‘sweet little angel’ after traumatic pregnancy
“I remember church where children would sing the sweetest songs. I’d think, ‘I can’t have that.’ I explained to my future husband I may not be able to conceive.. We wanted it so badly.”
‘I got the text, ‘Lex, we had an accident, but I don’t want to worry you.’ My son was the baby who literally fell onto his head accidentally.’: Mom to become NICU nurse after miracle baby survives traumatic brain injury
“I was told by a doctor, ‘You need to accept your sons’ fate. You are severely in denial.’ I was 20 years old and terrified. I was labeled as the Mom who ‘wasn’t emotionally responding appropriately.’ The media and local news blew it up into something it wasn’t.”
‘The doctor said, ‘How do you want to leave this hospital? With a poop bag or in a box?’ I denied consent 8 times.’: Woman with ulcerative colitis, ostomy bag says ‘you only get one body, love it!’
“I’d spent so long thinking no one would ever love me and then when I finally found the perfect, most precious man, I had to get a poo bag? I wanted to scream and cry and throw things. On my 26th birthday, I was looking death in the face.”
‘I felt sheer terror. ‘Are you scared off yet?’ I knew if I met him, I wouldn’t say no. This is what I signed up for.’: Single mom adopts medically complex baby with Down syndrome, ‘I knew he was mine’
“I thought he was going to die that day. I put my life on hold to be there for him every day and night. I knew he was mine.”