In honor of Mother’s Day, we will be featuring your motherhood essays of women you admire in our “Hero Mom” series.” For the Grand Prize winner, we’ll send them BOTH to Allure Skincare and Lash, True Bliss Massage AND Rooted in Tradition Acupuncture.
My mom is my hero. I was diagnosed with stage 4 gallbladder cancer in Oct. 2015. My mom had just worked so hard getting her substitute teaching career going but put it completely on hold so that she could help me with treatments, doctor appointments and caring for my 5 year old son. She sits by my side during chemo, drops everything to take care of my son at the last minute if I’m having a reaction to treatment, makes meals for my family, is constantly helping me keep my faith strong knowing that I will overcome this. She spends hours researching possible cures, treatments or things that might help with side effects. Being a mom myself, I can’t even imagine how hard this is on her. Yet she is so strong and helps me stay strong as well. And she is right, WE will beat this! She is truly AMAZING and I am blessed to have her as my mom. I couldn’t do this without her. She is my hero. -Christy Simpson
My mom hero is actually my mom. She was always such a great example of what a loving mother should be, she always tried her best. She has always been there for me and good times and bad. She is my best friend and I can always on her for a talk or just a listen. Happy mothers day mom! -Melissa Anderson
My “mom hero” is my MOM. I’ve been lucky enough to be blessed with the most giving, generous and loving mom. We’ve semi-jokingly called her “St. Donna” for years. She lives to serve others–through her work (nursing) and personal life. She loves to cook for and nurture others, and I’ve always felt unconditionally supported and loved by her. -Lauren Ross
So many mom heroes in my life and I am blessed that each of them helps balance and guide me to be a better mama! My friend, Anna Helton, is a mom hero that came to my mind right away. We both have 3 kiddos. Her 3rd baby was a surprise and she has embraced her new little guy with grace and an amazing balance in the older brother and her husbands very active lifestyle. She has an amazing work, life, love and personal balance in her home. As a mom we give so much to others and our work but often forget to first take care that we are good and healthy to be the best for others. Anna incorporates it all so well and she inspires me to keep focus on myself as well. She gives to her community as well. Pinterest is overwhelming in the mom world and can make moms feel like failures with the too good to be true perfect ideas online. But Anna will take a craft or idea and make is the most beautiful bonding experience between she and her boys or friends. I don’t get to see Anna in person as much as I would like but she inspires me to find my balance and love for this precious life and role as a mama to my 3 sweet babies!! -Ginger Applegate-Speaks
My hero mom is MY own mother. Single mother of 4. Raised us all alone after my father died. She went on to go to college and graduate at 45. She is everything. She’s my hero because she is a domestic violence survivor that did not go back to the violence and made a better life for herself and her kids. -Shabana Waheed
My mom is my hero. 18 months ago I had my first baby, a son. 6 months ago his father walked out on us. Since his birth, I have been a stay at home mom and working a part-time job trying to make ends meet. My entire family lives a thousand miles away and I have not one family member who lives near us in Colorado. My mom has 6 children of her own and 8 grandkids who live within 45 miles of her and she also takes care of my grandmother who has had alzheimer’s and dementia for several years. Even with a large family she devotes most of her time to, she takes the time and spends the money to come stay with my son and me in Colorado every six weeks for a least a week at a time. We talk every day and when she visits, it is always an enormous help for me. She has been my support and biggest hero throughout this difficult time and my son adores his grandma who he calls “My Nana”. I don’t know what I would do without her! -Delaney Johnson
My mom, Jeweline Sparks, has always been the type of woman to put others first, mostly her kids. She has done without, she has sacrificed and she has worked more than one job to make sure that everyone around her is happy and taken care of. Speaking for myself she has had to put up with a lot of heartache and worry and sure she spent more than any woman should, nights crying herself to sleep over me. She was more than willing to move all the way to the other side of the country so she could live close to both of her children even if that meant leaving the rest of her family behind. She is the most uplifting woman I have ever known and she never ever puts herself before anyone else. There is so much that i wish I could do for her so that she would know just what an amazing woman and mother that she is to me. I aspire to be half the woman and mom that she has been for me. -Kristy Sparks
My mom hero is my best friend, Etsuko Hua. We have been good friends for about 12 years and is always doing things for others. She has been there for me and my oldest daughter since day one, helping to watch my oldest when she was just weeks old and throughout her life, helping her through her tweens growing pains, being a 2nd “mom” to her. We have been through tough times together and supported each other when we both had miscarriages and our struggle to have children. We both now each have 4 yr old girls that are just a few months apart. She has helped me struggle with my 4 yr old’s tough behavior and has supported the growth of our children together, never judging and showing extreme patience and kindness as our girls learn and grow together. It can be tough to watch as a parent, to see my little girl acting out towards hers, but she is always so patient and lets my girl know that she loves her and is in a safe place. She inspires me to be my best as a mom and not get down on myself! She definitely deserves a spa day and much much more, I love and respect her dearly! -Lisa Williams
My Mom hero would definitely have to be my mother, Cathlyn Kirk. I have had the pleasure of knowing this amazing woman since I was 9 years old, I’m 22 now. Every since the day I met her she has shown nothing but love and compassion to me and everyone else she has encountered. She has not only changed my life and bettered me as a person, but so many other children, and it’s quite inspiring.
My mom started doing foster care in 2002. I can’t recall how many kids she’s had but one thing I do know is that she keeps in contact with most of them to this day. Since starting foster care my mom has adopted 6 children(including myself and 3 of my biological brothers), has 2 of her own and 2 grandchildren. She also fosters 4 (soon to be 6) girls (2 of them babies aged 6 months & the other 2 yrs), has a group home for teenage girls and plans to open up another one within the next month. Oh, did I mention she also works for U.S immigration and has been for about 15 years?
My mom has a pretty big load and not once have I heard her complain about it being too much. She loves and cares for all of us as if we were her own and has proven that she is willing to do anything to see us succeed in life. She works day and night to make sure everyone’s needs are met, roof over our heads, food in our stomachs, clothes on our back, and love in our hearts.
My mom is such a great person and spreads herself thin for the well-being of others. I’m entering her in this contest because even though she’s a super woman, she deserves a break and to know she’s truly appreciated! -Lateashia KirkJenn Shea, a Denver resident and mom who is passionate about a strong work ethic and knowing that letting your child make mistakes helps them becomes stronger. Jenn is the manager of the Colorado Air Team at Anadarko and works to ensure that Anadarko is following both state and federal air requirements in Colorado and maintaining air emissions quality for the land and community that she and her family live in. You can find her story here: http://www.cred.org/breathe-easy/. She is part of a team committed to working on reducing emissions and improving air quality in Colorado. Anadarko’s facility and team members like Jenn have been instrumental in decreasing tank volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions by 70%. Jenn believes in Anadarko’s values and their commitment to high standards for health, safety and our environment (HSE). “That message of HSE excellence comes from our highest levels of management, and Anadarko’s drive to be innovators in our industry makes my job exciting.”
Like many Anadarko employees who care deeply about the communities they live in, Jenn volunteers her time at Anadarko-sponsored programs for Habitat for Humanity and Junior Achievement. Jenn also works as an advocate for the oil and gas industry, speaking with Coloradoans and sharing information.
A life lesson that Jenn was taught by her mother and works to instill in her child is, “If you work hard, anything is possible. My mother was one of the hardest workers I know. Her strong work ethic and ability to juggle a full time job and be an amazing mother at the same time was always an inspiration to me. I always tell my son to keep trying even though his first try might not be perfect. He knows that if he doesn’t try, success is not possible. My mother is such a wonderful and supportive person and her parenting skills turned me into the mother I am today. I learned from her that I need to love and support my son no matter what, let him make mistakes to learn lessons, make him proud of all his accomplishments and teach him to be a strong and independent person.” -Tricia Bennett
My mom hero is Cristina Ruiz. She is not my mom, although, she is a wonderful mom to three children. She is my community health worker and came into my life after I had 10 surgeries in one year and could not drive. She began driving me to my doctor’s appointments and physical therapy, helping me find resources to get food for our family. During this past year I have been unable to work, which has effected our family of 5. Cristina is truly a blessing to our family. She doesn’t just drive me==she has become a very important part of my life. She has prayed with me through difficult times, given many needed hugs, and been a true source of support. When I need a listening ear, she is always there. She unselfishly gives of her time on and off the job. Cristina is a true blessing to our community. I lost my mom at an early age and wish I had one just like her. Cristina Ruiz is my mom hero❤️ -Deborah Wilson