A Heart Stops

There is tragedy everywhere. This past weekend while watching the news, I started to snooze but couldn't find a way to tune it out. I realized in that moment the reason why I don't watch the news and get my updates from People and PinkIsTheNewBlog. Life can be too depressing. Twitter, for example, is an outlet for entertainment. I follow those who while aren't always sunshine and roses, are real and seem to be my kind of people. A few friends and a few people whose blogs I read. There is something to be said to not feel so alone. To read the words of other moms, woman, and people who sometimes seem to be in my head. Yesterday, I took a look and started to see random updates I didn't understand. A girl named Maddie, in the hospital. I clicked through and saw some updates and posts about her time in the PICU. It brought me back to our time in a hospital and I thought I might email Maddie's mom & dad, send my prayers, thoughts, good juju her way when I got home. It's good to not feel so alone, even if it's a stranger standing with you.

I got home, looked in on homeslice, pausing for a minute.

I got ready to write the email, had to find where to send it. The updates seemed familiar, doctors doing rounds, monitors, nurses, abbreviations I've seen before, some I haven't - you train yourself to scroll down than up to read as if like a different language updates have a direction.

"They're going to intubate her, I'm freaking out"

Madeline Alice died that day, unexpectedly and sudden. I don't know these people, but unexplainable as it might seem, my heart stopped for them. I ached for this family I have "known" for less than five minutes. I read more about their journey and it all looked so familiar, the destination one I don't understand. How could their little girl be taken from them? It's all so strange to feel so much for a stranger, to ache for another.

This year they signed up for their second March of Dimes Walk, excited Maddie would join them this time. Their goal was $3000. Now as life changes and a viral community comes together it shows us what is really possible. The traffic on the site hosting the family's blog became so overwhelmed it crashed and those that can, did - and came to the rescue. Now, they are close to a milestone of 25K. As I continue to read about how the people have come together there is a fund for the family that has started, over 300 (and more coming) posts in her honor, people are wearing purple for her, sending out purple balloons in her honor, turning blogs and twitter pages purple, organizing food delivery to their home, and so much more. They are being there in a way whether they truly know the family or not will likely not soon be forgotten. Much like this little girl and her family hold a place in my thoughts and my heart, and will likely not be forgotten.

It's a wonderful thing to witness, even from a distance, but an unspeakable and indescribable event to catapult such an awe inspiring result.

Tell the ones you love, you love them. Always.