Hey Mom, just wanted to let you know that we all love you and you’re amazing for doing all that you do. Imagine being in labor and you’ve dreamed of holding your newborn baby for 9 months and all of a sudden, right when the pressure is revealed and you think it’s time to meet your child, you hear nothing. You see doctors panic, and you see a near blue looking fetus. This was my mother’s first experience when she was in labor with my brother Dustin. Dustin was born with a lack of oxygen in his in his blood which rendered his skin a blue tint. My mom says she was so shocked and devastated.

At this time, they asked my mother and family if they wanted the doctor to operate, or let him pass. My crying mother said, “We did all we could to get him here, and we will do all we can to keep him here” so they did. Dustin lived in the hospital the first few months of his life and this tore my family’s hearts into pieces. But this is a testimony to how strong my mother is and all the thousands of new mothers this happens to yearly.

Because of her positive attitude, Dustin is alive today, 2 heart transplants later and loving life. Him and my mom are best friends, and rightful so. With the complications at birth, my brother has low physical and verbal abilities but if he could speak, he would tell my mom that he loves her with all of his being, and he thanks her for staying home and not working as a child, for all the hospital bills she paid and for dedicating her life to him. Instead, he just points at his heart and my mom knows what he means.

To the most dynamic duo of all time, I love you Dustin and I love you mom.