Some Facebook posts should never have been written. Guilty. Some should be engraved in stone – like this one. It was written by Chad Barrett, a friend of around 30 years, whose daughter went home to heaven last year. Here is what he wrote:
I was driving last night, and Caroline (our 9-year-old) was in the passenger seat. I reached over, grabbed her hand, and said, “I love you, Caroline.” She responded, “I love you, too, Daddy.” Then the memory hit me hard…
It was probably 3 or 4 days before Kristina passed. She would call for us during the night when she had to go to the bathroom. We had one of those baby monitors so we could hear her well. She had a portable potty in her room, and we would have to, basically, pick her up and move her onto it. She was in so much pain, and she was so weak. Her little body would shake with weakness–it was difficult for her to sit up straight, so I would hug her and hold her steady while she sat there for a few minutes.
She would try to work up the energy for us to help her up and back into the bed. One time, while Melissa and I were trying to help her up, Kristina whispered into my left ear… “I love you.”
I looked at her and responded with my struggle to remain strong, “I love you, too, Sweetie.” It was a moment I wanted to stare at for a while, but we needed to help her into bed. It is a powerful moment I will never forget.
Last night, as I was remembering, Caroline placed her other hand on mine. And I thanked God for His goodness. I thank God for my daughters… all of them. I thank God for my son who is learning how to express what’s inside. I thank God for my wife who is broken together with me.
It was another moment of surprised memory but followed with surprised peace.
Thank you, Caroline, for the sweet way you comfort my heart. Thank you, God, for this memory. Thank you, God, for my family.
Thanks Chad for your post. He let me dedicate Bizarre 2 to Kristina. I do hope God lets her read a chapter in Heaven.
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