Ms. Geneva A

My hero is my ex-mother-in-law. Her faith in the Lord is astounding and her resolve to overcome is amazing. Mrs. A, as we like to call her, is now almost 90 years old. She still lives alone, drives to the grocery, etc. and takes care of herself. But her story began years and years ago. In fact, I don't know of the hardships she faced in her early years, but I know her family was not "well-off" and her home was in the financially strapped Mississippi Delta. What I do know of her was that she married a soldier, had two children, then he died though I'm not sure of what. She met and married another man, had one child, then the marriage didn't work out and she moved on, raising and providing for her children alone. Her third marriage was to a man who was a womanizer, an alcoholic and an abusive husband. He didn't help much to provide for her children, so she worked and he finally left her alone with two more children. So 5 children and no one to help. She raised those children and did a good job of it. When her youngest two became teens, she went back to school at the age of 55. She acquired her LPN license and became a remarkable nurse. This is when I met her and when I felt I was in the presence of an angel when I was around her. Then her troubles really started. Her youngest son, at the age of 19, had a motorcycle wreck, lived one week, and died. But she had to go on. And her faith went with her. Her second youngest son became an alcoholic and an abuser as was his father. She helped him over the years as best she could, constantly praying, until his way of life landed him in prison for many years. Throughout those years she visited each visiting day until her age hampered her ability to go. She still keeps money on his card at the correctional facility and she goes when she is able. While he has been in prison, she has lost another son, her oldest, and I believe, if there was one, her dearest. She lost him to liver cancer caused by excessive drinking. He died in her house, in the bedroom floor, in her arms. They were alone. As she wrestled with moving through this new horror, her grandson, whose Dad had passed away, committed suicide at a young age. After losing him, she found out her only daughter has cancer and is battling it each day as we speak.
This is her story as I know it. I don't know her as well as some people. But I do know her well enough to talk to her occasionally and marvel at her love for the Lord and her persistence to get to Heaven. If anyone is going to be there, she is. So that's my story of my hero. When I was married to her son, we had our differences. But I've never met a more inspiring person. Actually, she is the reason I went back to school and acquired my AD in Criminal Justice. My love, respect and admiration for my mother-in-law and hero is great. I thank God that I've been blessed to know her and her incredible strength and faith in Him.

Submitted by Anonymous

Strength