Emily Richey is a graduate of Pace University NYC. She has written and edited for multiple online platforms, including Love What Matters. She spends her free time petting stray cats.
‘Are babies supposed to breathe that fast?’ I couldn’t shake the feeling something was terribly wrong.’: Mom shares newborn’s journey with congenital heart defect, ‘He’s THRIVING’
“At his 48-hour checkup, Liam looked perfect. He was gaining weight beautifully. I had a strange feeling. ‘He’s breathing 90 times per minute.’ That sentence made the doctors pause.”
‘After watching my daughter fight for her life, I realized I had to fight for our family. I needed to heal.’: Single mom shares daughter’s journey with Down syndrome, ‘We’re growing together’
“My husband had been cheating on me and they were pregnant. I remember thinking, ‘Her daughter will live longer than mine.’ I had to give her the best life.”
‘As I laid eyes on her for the first time, they quickly pointed out everything ‘wrong’ with her.’: Mom ‘blindsided’ by daughter’s Down syndrome diagnosis, ‘I’m no longer afraid’
“Her beautiful, almond-shaped eyes, the way her tongue rested gently on her bottom lip, and her tiny pinky with the slightest curve. I was in shock.”
‘Everyone thinks you’re free once you leave an abusive relationship. It’s not true.’: Woman shares self-love journey after abuse, ‘I’m stronger than I thought’
“You have to stay strong, every day.”
‘Are you a mom?’ she abruptly asked. I wasn’t prepared for this question. Yes, I get too attached. Yes, I cry when they leave.’: Woman fosters 8 kids, ‘They will always be my babies’
“A 3-year-old girl pushed right past me like she owned the place. ‘I’m going to call you mom.’ The length of time doesn’t matter. Their pictures still hang in my house, their laughter and cries echoing in each room. They will always be my babies.”
‘My screams woke up the entire sorority house. ‘My dad died 7 months ago. She can’t die too!’ At that point, the rest of my life began.’: Young woman shares grief journey, ‘My parents would be proud of me’
“I saw missed calls and a voicemail from my aunt. ‘You need to get home now. Be strong.’ I called my mom, but she didn’t answer. That’s when I got scared.”
‘She’s just my stepmom.’ I wasn’t on the daycare list. To this day, I’m left off emails because I’m not a ‘primary’ parent.’: Woman navigates blended family life, ‘I’m more than JUST a stepmom’
“I may not be the primary parent but I do pick-ups, drop-offs, school plays, birthday parties. I go to her sporting events. I do homework. I get her hair cut and her nails done. My resume is impeccable.”
‘We watched his hair fall out all over his hospital pillow. We watched as he screamed in pain. Each time, he showed his strength.’: 5-year-old cancer warrior goes into remission, ‘This is a new beginning’
“January 30, 2021, our warrior rang his bell after 1045 days of fighting cancer. Surrounded by family and friends, some old and some new, we watched as Milo enjoyed HIS day.”
‘When it comes to the size of our family, we’re always laughed at. What they don’t know is we love our chaos!’: Mom of 6 shares journey as blended family, ‘We were made for this’
“When you see that positive pregnancy test, you start to wonder how you’re going to create more room in your heart for another. But just like the others, the new babe fits right in. Somehow, your heart just grows even bigger.”
‘I was bursting with joy. Every cell in my body had been waiting for this moment. I was on top of the world!’: Woman with cerebral palsy celebrates high school graduation, ‘I am more than my disability’
“One of my teachers said, ‘How can we be sure it’s Astrid who does her homework?’ It felt like I’d been stabbed in the stomach. Of course I had done my homework myself. I was living in a society filled with prejudices.”