{ Motherless Daughters } uniting those experiencing motherloss

Our Stories

Shannon's Story

My mother was such a great person. The little time we had together, I cherish so much. Everyone keeps telling me, "She's still with you", but at times I feel alone. I was seventeen at the time; she was thirty seven years old. I can still remember that exact day like it happened a minute ago. It was two days after my younger sister, Stephanie's birthday. My mom had been sick for about four months. We didn't know up until January of 2003 that she had liver cirrhosis. It came out of nowhere. My family didn't have any medical insurance, so we had a hard time getting the hospitals to want to treat her.

She was in and out of the hospital a lot those couple of months. I stayed home a lot from school to help out around the house and what not. At times she would seem perfectly normal, she'd even cook dinner for my sisters, brother, and I. One day, in the beginning of April sometime, I was walking home from work; I saw an ambulance in front of my house. I rushed over and saw my father outside. He told me that she wasn't breathing and they were going to rush her to the nearest hospital.

I think she stayed at that hospital for about 6 days. On the third day, my mom went into a coma. My whole entire family was at the hospital by then. I was a nervous wreck, but I hoped for the best. Around 4 in the afternoon on the April 11th, 2003, they took her off life support. She stayed alive for about two more hours until finally, she couldn't keep fighting anymore. That was the most devastating day of my life. The last thing I actually said to my mother wasn't very nice.

I think about her everyday. The littlest thing will remind me of her. Sometimes I'm okay and I smile thinking of her; other times, I break down and cry. What makes this even harder for me is I don't live with my sisters and brother anymore. My father, about five months after my mother died, decided to move to New York. He knew how much it meant for me to stay here in Chicago, where my mother grew up. So he left me behind and took my siblings. We rarely talk now and he got engaged only six months after my mom died. It's really hard not having him and my siblings there for me. I try my best to go on with my everyday life.

My mother's name was Angela Lynn. The small amount of time that I had with her, she taught me so much. She was the most caring person I have ever known. I hope that as I get older, I will take in the things she told me and use them to better myself. I know that I'm only eighteen years old, but I had to grow up fast. No one should have to go through the pain and suffering I have gone through, but I realize now…everyone dies. This has made me very weak, but at the same time, it has made me much stronger. I will go on, remembering my beautiful mother and all the times I had with her. She will live on forever in my heart and no one can take that away from me.

In loving memory of Angela Lynn.
May 23rd, 1965 - April 11th, 2003.
I love you and miss you mom.

© Shannon

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