‘We made the call: cut the ventilator’
“We didn’t know what to expect. They told us it might be a stillbirth. I had a C-section at about seven months so he wouldn’t have to struggle any more than needed. And Oliver was born...
Tagged: death
Coronavirus changes how we bring closure
(During this time of COVID-19 and social distancing, we’ve been forced to alter many aspects of our lives. This includes how we deal with death and honoring our loved ones. In this essay, Susan Cummings describes...
‘I should be gone, but I’m still here’
“After all I’ve been through, I’m fortunate to be here alive today. I’ve had heart surgery. I’ve been shot multiple times. I’ve lost close friends. It got to the point where I didn’t care about life...
After friend’s death, ‘I just let go of the wheel’
“I grew up with messed-up feet. They were real club-footed, like turned in. To help fix them, I had to wear these casts that went all the way up my legs. When I was 8, they...
Time doesn’t heal wound left by wife’s death
“I don’t do too much of nothing these days. Work around the house. Come out here to the park and watch the water. Just relaxing. I’m 74. Sometimes I think about going back to work. I...
Navy veteran: ‘We never thought we would survive’
“I was 19 years old in 1941. In those days, you didn’t work on Sundays. Nothing was open. It was a special day. So when Pearl Harbor happened, I was so frustrated. How could they attack...
Diane Smith: still dealing with deaths of husband, son
NameDiane Smith Age72 How long have you lived in Baytown?72 years Most interesting fact about youI’m an amateur writer; short stories and novelettes; derivative works. BackgroundMy entire family is from Mississippi. My father settled here after...
Complications from diabetes takes ‘a good woman’
“My wife had diabetes, and she liked to eat sweets. I would tell her, ‘Baby, please stay away from that.’ She would say to me, ‘Are you a doctor?’ I would say, ‘No, I’m not a...
Kathleen Merritt: chooses joy despite tragedies
NameKathleen Merritt Age55 How long have you lived in Baytown?37 years Most interesting fact about youI have survived a lot of trials, tribulations and tragedies. BackgroundI was raised in Philadelphia. I moved here in 1982 with...
High school friend’s suicide continues to haunt him
“We met in high school. I had him in a couple classes, and we just started talking. Before long, we became real good friends. We would hang out together, usually riding around on our bicycles or...
