Saturday, August 16, 2008

A Tribute to my Daughter

A reprint of 'Tribute to my Daughter'

My daughter, Stephanie (Mom911), is truly one of my heroes. She started parenthood as a single Mom with a high school diploma. The year she was pregnant was one of the roughest years for our family. Her father had serious health problems culminating with open heart surgery at Stanford with Stephanie right by his side the whole way (7 mos pg) while I was in a 28 day rehab for Vicodin addiction. Steph refused to go on welfare and took jobs to do what she had to do all the while battling constant morning/noon/night sickness. Everywhere she went, she had to take a barf bag with her. When her Dad was in the hospital she had to wait her turn for a public bathroom to puke and then go back and comfort her Dad. My sister suffered breast cancer that year as well. There was a great deal of stress and sadness in our family and instead of us supporting Steph, she did the supporting. She was my biggest cheerleader while I was going through re-hab. She had no support from 'the father' of my grandson and held down my home and took care of her convalescing father in her last months of pregnancy. I'm sure she was scared and overwhelmed by the idea of becoming a single Mom but always had a positive outlook about the baby. After the worst year of her life on the very last day of the year she gave birth to her son ending the year on a high note.

After her son was born Stephanie took a pizza delivery job to support them, then went on to selling bottled water, cleaning offices at a secure site and from there she had an opportunity to learn security dispatch (mind you this was all working nights with an infant) which eventually led to the position that she has now as a 911 dispatcher. Those early years were so rough but she did what she had to do. Along with Jared, she now has a wonderful husband and a beautiful 3 yr old daughter. She commutes and works a long shift. When her father learned last summer that his cancer had returned Steph stepped up and insisted he move in with her so that she could take care of him. So with her family and work schedule she also managed everything regarding her father's medical care. They were very close and she was a devoted daughter. Sadly, her Dad lost his battle with cancer early this year and Stephanie once again has stepped up and done what had to be done. Her Dad felt completely safe and cared for by her. He was very lucky to have had her for a daughter and I know she felt priviledged to have been able to spend those last months with him.

My daughter is the woman I wished I could be. I admire her strength, tenacity, intelligence, humor, character, heart and especially her caring spirit. If I had to choose a person to share a foxhole with it would be her. She is hard as nails with a heart big enough for everyone - she is - my daughter....

3 comments:

Lisa said...

Your daughter sounds like a great person...
And she had to have gotten some of that from you.

Alicia said...

Steph is an amazing woman. There's absolutely no doubt about that. She has my admiration, as well.

Sara said...

That was absolutely phenomenally written and she is now my hero. It left me with a tear in my eye.