Parenthood
It‘s no secret that kids are among the most beautiful souls in the world. As most people grow older, they crave to have these little bundles of joy to fill their homes. But as most parents will admit, raising a kid is much more than smiles and laughter.
It takes resolve, a keen mind, and a truckload of patience to ensure children will be the best version of themselves when they step into the world as adults. For Kenzie and Michael, raising their children would test everything they knew as parents.
Kenzie And Michael
Kenzie and Michael met at a rock concert in their mid-twenties before tying the knot five years later. They were the perfect match, with differences and strengths that complemented each other and made them more efficient as a duo.
By the second year of their marriage, they were already pregnant with their first child, Josh, who’d show them the beauty of parenthood. But it would be their second son, Kerry, who’d drive them to their wit’s end.
Kerry And Josh
Although Kenzie and Michael hated to admit it, Kerry was everything Josh wasn’t. Where Josh had been a quiet and ever-smiling baby, Kerry would always cry his lungs out when he was awake. But that wasn’t half of it.
Several things that a toddler is supposed to go through, such as their first words and learning to walk, are usually momentous occasions for the family. For Josh, Kenzie caught everything on camera. But this wasn’t the case when it came to Kerry.
Taking Him To The Pediatrician
The little angel was content to lay on his back several months past the age he should’ve been walking. Kenzie and Michael knew they shouldn’t be alarmed, but they needed to take Kerry to a pediatrician as the weeks passed.
The parents had dressed Kerry and called a sitter for Josh. After running through the day’s logistics with the sitter, they got ready to set out for the doctor’s. But something would happen that would change their minds immediately.
A Little Razzle Dazzle
Kenzie was still in the shower when she heard her husband call for her. She came out running, her towel barely wrapped around her.
She found Michael in the corridor, and before him, Kerry, standing on his feet and cooing at his brother, who was in the other room. What he did next would leave the two parents scratching their heads for months.
What’s Happening?
Kerry smiled at Kenzie and Michael before effortlessly walking passed them into Josh’s room. His parents stared wildly as all this unfolded before them, unsure of what they were seeing.
Of course, they canceled their appointment with the pediatrician. But something would happen down the road that would send them running to the hospital.
Time Flies By
The weeks that followed were more of the same for Kenzie’s family, except that Kerry could now walk. The boy wasn’t even using furniture to prop himself as he moved around the house, which his big brother always did.
But one day, he’d do something that would put his parents on high alert, landing everyone in their family in the hospital.
Summer Is Here
It was a bright summer afternoon when the incident took place. Kenzie and Michael were away from work, enjoying the sun when they heard Josh calling for them.
“I got this,” Michael waved Kenzie down when she made to rise. She smiled at him and he grinned back, assuring her he could handle whatever their boys threw at him. He didn’t know how wrong it was.
Understanding The Situation
Josh had been ten when this happened, while Kerry was a month away from turning two. Although he was way past eighteen months, he hadn’t uttered his first word yet, which kept his parents on edge.
They’d considered booking an appointment with his doctor but also thought they should give him some time. But that afternoon, they’d rush to the pediatrician without even booking an appointment.
Dad To The Rescue
Michael hurried off to see what Josh was calling about. On the other hand, Kenzie laid back to rest, trusting that her husband would handle whatever issue Josh had.
She drew her sunglasses and sipped from her margarita glass. But then a sharp scream from Michael had her shooting to her feet.
Mom Flies In
Michael’s scream had Kenzie speeding into the house. She didn’t know what was going on, only that whatever the issue was, it was massive enough to warrant such a response from her husband.
Was one of her babies injured? Were both of them bleeding? Her mind raced as she dashed up the patio steps and into the house. What she’d find would make her take a shaky step back.
What She Found
Kenzie found Michael next to Josh. They were looking over Kerry, who sat in a pile of Kenzie’s college textbooks. “Who’s hurt,” Kerry asked frantically, checking Josh all over before rushing to Kerry.
“No one,” Michael said with a wild grin, his eyes broadened and brows furrowed. He went down on one knee and said to Kerry, “Can you show mommy what you just showed me, bud?”
He Can Speak
“Okay, Dad,” the boy said, and Kenzie’s mouth fell open. “He can talk now?” she asked Michael, who shrugged disbelievingly before turning to Kerry. “Show her,” he said.
Kerry crossed his legs and struggled to open one of the thick books before him. He read the first sentence aloud, pronouncing words that even Kenzie had trouble articulating. But he didn’t stop there.
He Can Do More Than Speak
Although with a bit of straining, Kerry read the first ten sentences of the book. He then explained what they meant in detail and even pointed at another book, saying that its title related to what he’d just read.
Kenzie and Michael couldn’t believe it. They rushed for their coats and scooped their sons up before rushing to the hospital. They needed to know what was happening to Kerry.
The Doctor’s Diagnosis
Kerry’s doctor ran some tests on the boy before revealing what his parents had thought as they drove to the hospital. There was a high chance they had a genius on their hands.
Although the doctor couldn’t be sure yet, as Kerry was still very young, he told Kenzie and Michael that the boy was already showing signs of being a child protege. The two parents took deep breaths as they drove back home. They knew their lives would never be the same again.
Their First
What made the situation more heartbreaking was the fact that after all the dreams they had of their big family, Brian was the first. He represented the beginning of making that dream a reality.
Even in their wildest dreams, they could never have imagined a son more perfect than the one they had. Now they were forced to consider the worst possibilities.
Time Wore On
The days passed by mercilessly and Brian remained in the same state. Taylor never knew that a human being was capable of holding as many tears as she cried.
Her emotions swayed from hopeful and optimistic to hopeless and lost on a daily basis. As the hours and days passed, soon an even worse emotion took over.
Numb
Taylor cried until her eyes could hold no more tears. Her mind felt like it was on the brink of insanity on more than one occasion.
Eventually, perhaps as a defense mechanism, she began feeling numb. After all the pain, heartache, stress, and fear, this feeling was somehow worse.
Shutting Down
Feeling numb made Taylor feel like a monster. She was like a cold, unfeeling robot at times, going through the hours with a kind of frightening detachment.
She felt like a zombie at times, dead to the world, and just existing in an emotionless void waiting for news. At times, she felt like she needed to snap out of it but was terrified to do this.
Feeling Nothing
Taylor knew that if she allowed the grim emotions back, she risked opening the floodgates and was afraid of being consumed by it all again.
In her desperation, caught between being afraid to feel too much, and her guilt at feeling too little, she turned to another source for comfort.
Support
Jeff had been dealing with his grief in a different way. Taylor barely saw him cry and he seemed to be handling things better.
Taylor didn’t know if this was a good thing or not. Soon, she began to wonder what was going through Jeff’s mind. Worse still, she had no idea how to feel about him or if she could lean on him for support.
Unintended Consequences
It was a horrible truth about the situation. Taylor and Jeff had been a normal, happy couple. They had finally begun building their lives together.
Now their dreams were in tatters. Their joint grief was already crippling. Taylor didn’t want to admit it but she also felt angry inside. There were times when she couldn’t even stand the sight of Jeff.
The Stages
Taylor had heard people speak of the famous stages of grief. She had no idea if this was all normal. She’d never given it much thought because she never pictured herself ever being in a state of grief like this.
Looking at Jeff, there were moments when she envied how he seemed to be handling things. On the other hand, she wondered if he was just staying strong.
A Great Weight
Taylor knew that Jeff loved his son every bit as much as she did. She knew, like her, he was heartbroken inside whether he showed it or not.
As the days wore on and Jeff kept up his stoicism, Taylor also began to worry for another reason. She hadn’t considered the feeling until now but was now afraid that it might be true.
Guilt
Since Brian had been in Taylor’s care at the time, she worried that Jeff may blame her for what happened. She struggled with this feeling for a while.
When she could no longer take not knowing, she summoned up her last reserves of courage. Tentatively, she approached him to ask him if it was true.
United
To Taylor’s relief, Jeff assured her that he did not blame her for any of this. He knew how much she loved their boy and would never knowingly hurt him. He supported her and told her that they needed to be strong together.
It broke the two of them to see their little boy hooked up to devices and a breathing apparatus day after day. Finally, the doctor came forward and revealed that the test results were ready.
Heartbreaking
Brian’s brain had suffered severe trauma and it was unclear what the future held. After helping Taylor and Jeff get acclimated to his treatment regimen, the hospital discharged Brian.
They included a new diet, physical therapy, and several activities that would help his mind stay active. The couple were and did all they could but, ultimately, it was tragically too late.
A Devastating Loss
Although Taylor and Jeff, with the help of their families, did all they could to help their beloved son recover, he’d sadly succumb to his condition. Taylor knew what she needed to do.
Between instances of feeling like she was losing her mind, Taylor eventually searched for ways to cope and live with what had happened. She found a slight silver lining when she realized she could help others.
Sharing Her Story
Broken by the loss of her son, Taylor knew she had to share her story. By doing so, she hoped that more parents out there realized how quickly a moment of inattention could lead to tragedy.
Her hope was that if their experience could help prevent another family from experiencing the same horror, Brian’s short life would have not been completely in vain. Her story gained traction on social media, and many people came to grieve with her family.
Their Angel
With time, the pain of losing Brian would let off, although she still misses him with each passing second. Taylor and Jeff did eventually go on to have other children and the big family they always talked about was still a possibility.
However, it would always remain tainted in a way. Try as they might, both knew they’d never forget the little angel who was their first.