Memories of our mothers are forever anchored in our hearts for myriad reasons: their laughter, their laser-like stares that stopped us cold from doing something we shouldn’t, and their hugs that comfort like no other.
I asked readers to submit stories about their mothers, or mothers they know, for a Mother’s Day Beauty Makeover contest.
While you’ll meet the three extraordinary winners on Mother’s Day, I wanted to share the stiff competition and to underscore the notion that motherhood is much more than biology. More stories will appear in Saturday’s column. (Letters have been edited.)
A story of courage
“On Thanksgiving Day 2006, the life of my mother, Denise Breiding (of Akron), and our family of six changed drastically when my father fell from a ladder and landed on a railroad tie wall, breaking his back. Until my father broke his back, both of our parents were transitioning to a life as parents of young adults no longer needing daily care as when we were children. They had always been equal partners in raising us, and they were the yang and yin or the yin and yang for nurturing and guiding us from birth to our current young adult stage.
“Without knowing the short-term or long-term condition of my dad, my mother did know that at least in the short term, she was now going to be expected to assume the complete leadership in our family. She immediately gave us a safe harbor in the storm that I and my three brothers needed so desperately. It was as if my mother had always planned for this type of family crisis. Before my dad’s accident, I thought that I could never love my mom any greater, but that period in my family’s life proved that the love we have for her and the love she has for us is limitless and not something we just share with her on special days like Mother’s Day.”
— Lauren Breiding
Making sacrifices
“Please consider my mother Linda DePrato (of Akron) for a makeover. She has fought an uphill financial battle nearly all her life. Although she has had many needs, she has never relied on anyone else for help. As a divorced mother with three children and a very small child support ($75/week), she often worked two jobs to support her family. She has demonstrated for her children dependability as well as excellent work ethic. I can’t recall more than one day in the past 20 years that she’s called off work. After raising her three children she also played a significant role in caring for her grandson.
“My mother has always done without. Even now she still doesn’t buy anything for herself. She will rarely buy new clothes, she drives an old car, and her house is in need of repairs. With her limited income she would give her last penny to someone else in need. She always puts everyone else’s needs before her own. I know there are plenty of deserving mothers out there but I would love the opportunity to do this for my mother and let her know how much she is appreciated and how grateful I am for all the sacrifices she has made. After all of these years of struggle I know that she is tired, and I just want her to feel beautiful!”
— Cristina Jones
Hot commodity
“If our mother Waneda White (of Barberton) was for sale she would be a hot commodity. She is affectionate, compassionate, patient, sacrificing, generous, forgiving, encouraging and altruistic to everyone, not just her family. Her constructive criticism is kind-spirited and her discipline was always fair.
“It has been said, ‘When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so at the end, you’re the one smiling and everyone around you is crying.’ That will be true of our mother. She has made a heartprint on our hearts, so much so that she became a character which depicts her sweet attributes in a recently published suspense novel, A Deadly Ruse, written by one of her daughters. Her indomitable spirit to remain independent at 87 and enjoy every minute of her life is inspiring. Her price is far above rubies.”
— Linda Lonsdorf, Donna White and Terry White
Putting herself second
“Debbie Hookway is dealing with two very personal issues. Debbie has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer and has undergone surgery to remove the cancer and lymph nodes. Debbie has been told she will lose her hair as well as suffer the other awful ill- effects of chemotherapy. Debbie also is battling another very personal matter: a divorce.
“Throughout these ordeals, Debbie has continued to be a wonderful mother by making sure her daughter gets to the barn every day that is several miles from her home so that her daughter can work with her injured horse. Debbie also volunteers her time at this farm during all of their horse shows. In addition, even though she has been sick, she has continued working as a special needs educator in the Hudson school district. Debbie is a Summit County 4-H adviser and the co-chair for the Summit County Fair this year. I think treating her to a salon day would be just the medicine the doctor ordered. Debbie and her two children are residents of Hudson.”
— Her friend Angela Hawsman
Working tirelessly
“I would like to nominate my daughter Bethany Sendelbach (of Akron) for the Mother’s Day makeover. Beth is disabled and suffers from multiple sclerosis. In spite of her troubles she is a great mother to her five children ages 3-14. She makes sure the kids are delivered to school: Akron Early College, Roswell Kent Middle, Voris Elementary and preschool, and retrieved at the end of the day. Not to mention roller skating, dance, science fair, book fair or whatever else pops up.
“She is active in her children’s schools, having served in various positions in the PTA over the past eight years; past president at Voris and current president at Roswell Kent. She has worked tirelessly for all her children’s schools and all of their functions. I think she would make a very deserving mom. Besides, she needs to sit down for a few minutes.”
— Michael O’Connor, Mogadore
Mom is our rock
“My mother Shelley Parris (of Barberton) is a single mother of five children, with me being the oldest at 22 years old and my little brother being the youngest at 9 years old. She also helps to take care of my grandmother and my niece who is 2 years old. I can remember growing up, and still now, there being times that my mom would go through the winter with no coat or little slip-on shoes, just to make sure my siblings and I would not go without.
“Being a single mom, taking care of everyone, and working a full-time job, she really has stopped worrying about herself as much as she should. My siblings and I wish that she would have a makeover for Mother’s Day to show her that it is important that she take care of herself. Without her as our rock we would all be lost, myself especially!” — Paula West
Jewell Cardwell can be reached at 330-996-3567 or jcardwell@thebeaconjournal.com.