Devon Ledbetter is a writer and editor based in Florida. She holds a BA in English from Florida State University. She currently formerly worked as a Digital Editor with Love What Matters and has previously had works published with College Magazine and Her Campus. Her favorite pastimes include beach trips, baking, and concerts. You can learn more about Devon through her portfolio https://dnl16b.wixsite.com/ledbetter-portfolio
“Everything I’ve done and figured out in the wake of his death has been a first-hand, trial and error experience. This year, we did things a little differently.”
“I always thought of myself as an ‘ally,’ but here was a moment, this was my child, my flesh and blood. I knew what I said next mattered more than anything in their world.”
“I asked if I could see her face for a moment before they took her. We heard her crying and they brought over this new, perfect baby. I kissed her cheek, welcomed her to the world and told her to go meet her daddies.”
“My husband became my full time caretaker, but he also upped his duties as my best friend, entertainer, hope dealer and truth speaker. He became my hands and feet, all of it.”
“Every morning, I walk to our son’s room to pick up his 40-pound body and carry him downstairs. With each step, I can feel it. As I make my way down the stairs, I start carrying more than just him. I carry gratitude.”
“It was back to square one. I had to learn to sit up, roll over in bed, get dressed. The one single aggravating moment I remember well was trying to put on my socks, which felt like an impossible feat. It literally took over an hour. It was never easy.”
“Plenty of guys asked creepy questions or even had a wheelchair fetish. My hopes were never high. He changed the course of my life with one message. ‘Hi.’ Teenage me would have never imagined this kind of love for herself.”
“If you asked me if I’d care for a newborn while 30 weeks pregnant, I’d have thought you were crazy. I’d sit at night, feeding our foster daughter while feeling our little girl wiggling around in my belly. We’d been praying for her years before she was even born.”
‘I will never forget the moment I first saw him, the world seemed brighter. I told him, ‘You’re going to sleep, but in a few days we’ll pick you up. I found a note from him saying, ‘Always be happy no matter what.’”
“I started to get nervous. ‘Do you think I need to help him get to the bar?’ I’d never dated a guy in a wheelchair before. After that, we were inseparable! He pulled out a ring box. ‘Of course!’ I screamed.”
