Blog Layout

Dedicated to Angel, Our Angel in Heaven. A Personal Story on Grief.

Carolina Rocha • Aug 13, 2020

"It was just a random day and no one saw it coming."

I have experienced grief in my life. My older brother passed away in 2016. He was born with half of a heart. The doctors told my parents he was only going to live for a couple of weeks, but he ended up living for 26 years. He was a miracle. Although he was born with half of a heart, he lived life like any other individual, but with restrictions of physical activity. When he passed away, it was a shock for my whole family. We did know it would happen one day, but we weren’t ready for him to leave. It was just a random day and no one saw it coming. The grieving process was definitely difficult for me.

When he passed away he was on a trip with my parents visiting family members in Mexico City (where he was born). My sister and I were living in San Antonio when we got the call from my dad that my brother was in the hospital and we needed to take the next plane to Mexico City. We were very worried and knew it was critical for us to go. We had to drive to McAllen, Texas and then take the next plane from Reynosa to Mexico City.

I could not go to sleep that night and I remember I ended up finding out through a long lost cousin through facebook that my brother had passed away. I was in complete shock. I could not completely process it. I was in denial and angry that someone that I barely knew, knew before me. The next day we got to Mexico City where I finally was with my sister and parents. When I first saw my brother in his casket I just cried. I stood there looking at him and was crying and a bit angry. I did not want to talk to anyone. I did not want to see any other family. I remember my parents, sister and I going to a private room and all crying. I got to see how my parents and sister took this. 

Many people knew my brother and reached out to us. Our church had a special mass for him back in Mission, TX. It was full of so many people. It made me feel loved and noticed how of an impact my brother had made to the community. At the end of the mass every person gave us a hug. It was nice to have that, but at the same time I do not like when people see me cry and I held my tears the whole time. When I was so sad and didn’t know how to feel better, I had those hugs from family and friends. 

There's a party & you're invited

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM
By Brooke Williamson 30 Aug, 2023
"Understanding the complexities of the current mental health landscape is the first step toward addressing the challenges we face. "
By Brooke Williamson 24 Aug, 2023
"By approaching this topic with sensitivity, age-appropriate information, and open communication, we can empower our children to feel safe, make responsible choices, and confidently navigate these challenging times"
By Brooke Williamson 12 Sep, 2022
"With the help of mobile technology and network connectivity, people are more connected now than they ever have been before."
Share by: