TRAUMA WRITES INTO my Mother’s Day history. Two events. Two Mother’s Days. Two memories that, even with the passing of time, remain vivid.
The first occurred in May 1987. Randy and I had just gotten off the phone with our moms. We wished them Happy Mother’s Day and then told them we were expecting our second child, due in November. The grandmas were excited. We were delighted to share the news.
And then it happened. The bleeding. The panic when I realized what was happening. The call to the ER with instructions to lie down and see my doctor in the morning. I recall lying in bed, flat on my back, overwhelmed by fear. “I don’t want to lose my baby,” I sobbed and prayed.
How could this be happening? Moments earlier we’d shared such good news. And now the future of our baby seemed uncertain.
In the end, we didn’t lose that precious baby girl born to us six months later. Miranda. Beautiful in every way.
Fast forward to the morning of May 12, two days before Mother’s Day in 2006. Miranda was a senior in high school, her older sister just returned home from college. And their little brother, Caleb, 12, was on his way to the bus stop. Then the unthinkable happened. While crossing the street to his bus, Caleb was struck by a car. He bounced off the car, somersaulted, landed on the side of the road.
The moment when I heard the sirens, when I instinctively knew deep within me that something had happened to my son, terror unlike anything I’d ever felt gripped me. I can’t explain how or why I knew. I just did.
In the end, Caleb suffered only a broken bone in his hand, cracked ribs, bumps and bruises. While it was a terrifying experience—compounded by the driver who left the scene and to this day has not been found—we felt relief in the outcome.
Even though I endured those Mother’s Day traumas in 1987 and in 2006, I did not lose a child. But in those experiences I gained empathy—for those who have lost children through miscarriage, still birth, disease, illness, accident, violence, suicide… And if that’s you, I am deeply sorry for the pain, grief and loss you’ve felt and feel.
Through those experiences I realized how deep my motherly love, how my children hold my heart in a way that the very thought of losing them caused me such angst. I would do anything to protect them from harm. Anything. Even today.
Through those experiences I grew stronger. And I recognized that, no matter what, we are not alone. When Caleb was hit by the car, our family received overwhelming support from family, friends, his school and the greater community. There were prayers, encouraging cards and phone calls, a stuffed animal and even a gift certificate to Dairy Queen. What love, compassion and care.
To my dear readers who are mothers, you are cherished, valued, loved. And the children you raised/are raising are equally as cherished, valued and, above all, loved.
TELL ME: If you have a story or thoughts you would like to share about being a mom or about what your mom meant/means to you, please comment. I’d love to hear from you.
© Copyright 2022 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
this is a beautiful and heartfelt post of the limitless love a mother feels for a child, no matter the circumstances. you are all lucky the way this ended, and I’m sure those terrifying moments only solidified the strength of your love.
Thank you, Beth.
Audrey, what terrifying experiences for you and your children and Randy. I came close to losing my oldest son when at age 18 while riding his bike, an old man driving a cars, hit him. Eric was thrown over the hood and as he came down, his neck was gouged by the side mirror of the car. The doctor told us that if the cut had been a quarter of an inch over, it would have sliced his aorta and he would have bled out. His collarbone was broken, but in the end, he made it. My youngest son struggled with drugs in his teen years, but everyday I thank God that he was spared a lifetime of addiction having recovered at 19.
I have close friends who have lost a child. It changes them forever as I imagine it would do to me also. Our children are so precious to us. My heart and prayers go out to Moms who have lost a child, or have a child struggling with a disease or addiction, as well as moms who have the gift of still being able to hug their child.
Thank you for sharing the challenges you’ve faced as a mother. I’m grateful both of your sons survived. You write the words of a loving and caring mother and human being.
So grateful these stories turned out the way they did!
I am too.
Beautiful even through two very hard Mother’s Days. Wishing you a very happy belated Mother’s Day
Thank you. We work through it, right? I know you’ve faced challenges also.