NameDiane Smith Age78 How long have you lived in Baytown?74 years; in 2021 I moved out of state with my daughter, my only surviving relative. She was also ready for a change. Most interesting fact about youI’m an amateur writer — short stories and novelettes, poetry … Continue readingMoving forward despite tragedy
Sky Allen McSpadden proudly served in the United States Navy for nine years, based in Jacksonville, Florida. For five of those years, he was stationed aboard the USS Halyburton, a period of service that took him across the world — to places like Greece, Spain, … Continue readingMom honors Navy son’s service
“Alicia was my fourth child, my littlest one. She was like a little porcelain doll. We pretty much centered ourselves around her. She was my kids’ pride and joy. She wanted anything, she got it. She was going to turn 2 last July. Then in … Continue readingBlessing box: ‘Her story doesn’t end here’
“Healing comes from letting there be room for all of ‘this’ to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy.” — Pema Chodron “Grief doesn’t just bring tears. It enters your heart, your bones, your spirit, every movement and breath you take. Losing … Continue readingEarring project helps keep couple’s story alive
“I was born in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. At school, I was in the same class with this girl in first grade, third grade and fifth grade. You could say she was my little girlfriend. I would see her in church and think, some … Continue readingFinding his wife ‘was a dream come true’
“My dad passed away in June. He was at home. It was just a few days after Father’s Day. He had been dealing with cancer for eight years. This time, it was the final K.O. “It was also roughly a month before he was able … Continue readingTrying to keep spirits up after losing father, job
“It began late July last year. I had the COVID delta variant. I spent 40 days in the hospital. It kind of freaks me out to talk about it. “I started at Patients ER. Then I was transferred to El Campo Memorial Hospital. My lungs … Continue reading‘I busted my butt’ to recover from COVID
“One of my duties at work was to create ID badges for all the employees. They had to be renewed on everyone’s birthday. When Juan came to see me, I made his ID and we flirted a little bit. “Afterward, I jokingly said to my … Continue readingShe’s suffered her share of tragic losses
“Through my films, I’d like to support non-profit organizations and bring attention to certain causes. Because I lost someone to suicide, mental health and suicide prevention are really important to me. “Mario Arturo Valverde was my cousin. We were born a month apart. I’ve never … Continue readingCousin’s suicide changed filmmaker’s life
“My granddaughter, Addison, turned 2, and we had her birthday party on a Saturday. On Monday, she and my daughter, Emily, were at my house after we’d been shopping. When her phone rang, she didn’t recognize the number. A lady said, ‘I think I’m with … Continue readingKeeping memories alive through embroidery