Losing Dad, Yet Finding Mom

Update on the difficult road our family must now walk

A few days ago,

I shared that my dad, Norman, was fighting for his life.

Today, I share that we have said our final goodbyes.

Our hearts are broken. Many of you have followed this journey through my recent posts/notes and have offered prayers, encouragement, messages, and support.

I will never be able to fully express how much that means to my family and me.

For the last week,

I’ve stayed strong because I had to.

There were decisions to make, a hospital room to sit in, family members to comfort, and difficult conversations no one is ever prepared for.

Now that we’ve said goodbye, the weight of it all is starting to settle in.

For a little background info,

Norman didn’t come into my life until I was a teenager. He wasn’t there when I was born, and he didn’t have to step into the role of our dad.

But he did.

He taught me strength. He taught me how to stand up for myself. He taught me lessons that helped shape the woman I became.

He was also the only Pappaw my three daughters have ever known on my side of the family, and he was the best one I could have asked for.

The beautiful thing is that I never had to ask him to be. He never treated it like an obligation. He never acted like loving us was a burden.

He was just Pappaw.

Watching my daughters grieve him hurts almost as much as grieving him myself.

Seeing the pain in their eyes reminds me of just how deeply he loved them and how deeply they loved him in return.

And hearing my mom grieve the man she spent so many years with hurts even more.

What many people don’t know, unless you read my earlier post, is that my dad’s passing is only part of the crisis our family has been facing. 👇

My mom…

She was still living in a very difficult reality.

The conditions she had been living in were unsafe, and with Norman gone, those challenges could no longer be ignored or postponed.

While we were grieving the loss of my dad, we are also working desperately to make sure my mom is safe.

Today,

We got her out.

She is now staying with my daughter, where she will be safe and have the support she needs moving forward.

That alone feels like a victory.

By the grace of God,

We also found someone willing to help us begin addressing the pack of dogs on the property.

Unfortunately, the severe storms that rolled through Louisiana this morning forced us to postpone that effort.

My mom took the delay especially hard.

As difficult as her living conditions had become, she still loves those dogs and is deeply worried about leaving them alone.

I guess… She needs to know that they are safe. (They were Norman’s dogs, so understandable?)

Anyways,

So while we’ve made progress. We still have a very long road ahead.

We’re trying to lay my dad to rest with dignity while also helping my mom rebuild her life from the ground up.

There are still difficult conversations, hard decisions, and countless obstacles standing between where we are and where we need to be.

If you are able,

Please consider donating to our GoFundMe. 👇

Every dollar will help ease the burden of funeral expenses, relocation costs, and the overwhelming work that lies ahead.

If donating isn’t possible,

I completely understand. I know times are hard for many people. In that case, I ask for two things.

• Please keep praying.

• Please keep sharing.

Your prayers, your kindness, and your willingness to help spread our story are every bit as valuable as a donation.

Thank you for standing beside me through one of the hardest chapters of my life.

And for holding space for my grief, for my family, and for the faith that we will make it through this.

I’ll continue to update everyone as we move forward.

With much love and lots of gratitude, Teez 💋