The Other Side of Heaven Page 12
What would you want to say: Thank for all the things she did for me and my brothers and sister.
OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN SURVEY
Name: Jeanette
Name of loved one: Annie
Age: 36
Relationship: Mother
How they died: Sickness
A little about the one who passed: She had a hard life...lost one child at 3 years old. Had 4 more to raise with an irresponsible husband.
How would one moment change your life? One moment wouldn’t... I would want a lifetime..
What would you want to say: how much I love her & miss her.
OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN SURVEY
Name: Scott A Johns
Name of loved one: Phyllis Hetrick
Age: 63
Relationship: Mother
How they died: Natural Causes
A little about the one who passed: She was mine and my siblings world, she was so generous and loving and passed without warning.
How would one moment change your life? We didn’t get to be with her when she passed and she sent us a sign the next day as she promised she would. I want her to know we are all ok and how much we miss her and to tell her how much we love and miss her every day.
What would you want to say: I would tell her how much we love and miss her and can’t wait to be with her again one day.
OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN SURVEY
Name: Jackie
Name of loved one: Ann
Age: 71
Relationship: Mother
How they died: Sickness
A little about the one who passed: Beautiful with a lot of dignity and loved by all.
How would one moment change your life? Just knowing there is something to go on to meeting loved ones again.
What would you want to say: Are you happy?
OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN SURVEY
Name: Emma Thomas
Name of loved one: Bonnie Jean Moore
Age: 54
Relationship: Mother
How they died: Sickness
A little about the one who passed: My mother adopted me in Germany when I was 1 year and 7 months old. She and my daddy divorced when I was 7 years old. My mother worked hard 10-16 hour days to support my sister and me. We never lacked for anything. We were never hungry and we always were aware of where we stood with her.
How would one moment change your life? I moved along long ago. I had faith mama was in the Hands of our Creator. Seeing her for just one moment would be a reaffirmation to me that we truly do go on.
What would you want to say: I would tell mama how much I’ve missed her physical presence in my life. I would tell her I loved her with all my heart and soul. I would then tell her she was right about life all along,
OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN SURVEY
Name: Linda
Name of loved one: Lloyd Hester II
Age: 16
Relationship: Mother
How they died: Accident
A little about the one who passed: My oldest played football, girls loved him, handsome, hated his curly hair, so loving and generous especially to his brothers
How would one moment change your life? To be able to know he is alright and how much we all miss him and love him, one last kiss and hug, we never got to say goodbye.
What would you want to say: how much I love and miss you. Are you happy?
OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN SURVEY
Name: Miss N.
Name of loved one: Gill
Age: 65
Relationship: Mother
How they died: Accident
A little about the one who passed: My mom was my best friend and at times worst enemy. She was alcohol dependant and it was a struggle growing up in a household with two parents like this. When sober she was the best mom and would do anything but when on a binge, you would meet no-one nastier. I still loved her, even though at times we didn’t speak for up to a year. She loved going on holiday but for me, I worried until her and my dad got home to check they were still in one piece!
How would one moment change your life? I could say goodbye - having fallen down the stairs under the influence I never got to say goodbye. I want to know she didn’t suffer and that I’m in a good place now and settled.
What would you want to say: How much I love and miss her. How I pick up the phone so often to speak to her and then remember she’s gone.
OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN SURVEY
Name: Michael Leon
Name of loved one: Patricia Leon
Age: 53
Relationship: Mother
How they died: Sickness
A little about the one who passed: She was courageous and loved me without regret.
How would one moment change your life? I quit talking to my whole family because of issues. I chose to ignore them. But recently I reconciled with my dad after 10 years, and he died 5 months after that. I realize I will never be able to say I am sorry to my mother, and that I really do love her with all my heart. Because she died before I was able to move beyond my grudge and just be her son again. Who knows how she felt when she died. I will regret this and it will haunt me until I die.
What would you want to say: I am sorry I turned my back on you.
OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN SURVEY
Name: Carol S.
Name of loved one: Shirley B.
Age: 75
Relationship: Mother
How they died: Sickness
A little about the one who passed: Best Mom in the world, we didn’t get to be together too much because my Mother-in-law lived in same town and demanded more attention.
How would one moment change your life? I would feel closer to my Mom and feel like I didn’t let her down.
What would you want to say: I am sorry, I love you.
OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN SURVEY
Name: Artie Williams
Name of loved one: Choicie Green
Age: 65
Relationship: Mother
How they died: Sickness
A little about the one who passed: She was my absolute best friend and always had my back. Being an only child, she was also the closest thing I had to a sister. I could talk to her about anything. She was intelligent and a lover of learning. She taught me that I could do anything I set my mind to.
How would one moment change your life? I would be able to rest with the satisfaction that she knows that I am alright.
What would you want to say: You taught me well and I’ve handled things in my life in a way that I think you would be proud of.
OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN SURVEY
Name: Paula
Name of loved one: Connie
Age: 64
Relationship: Mother
How they died: Sickness
A little about the one who passed: My father died when I was 9 and my mom raised me and my 2 siblings alone, she never remarried. She worked so hard all her life to make sure we had what we needed and then some. Her life as a single mom was so hard but she never complained. She was always at every soccer game, dance recital and school function. I never realized how much she sacrificed until I became a parent.
How would one moment change your life? I feel incomplete. So many unanswered questions and things unsaid
What would you want to say: Thank you
OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN SURVEY
Name: Shona McLaren
Name of loved one: June McLaren
Age: 54
Relationship: Mother
How they died: Natural Causes
A little about the one who passed:
How would one moment change your life? She died suddenly and unexpectedly I didn’t get to say goodbye or tell her how much I loved her. It would resolve the guilt I have of us not talking for 8 years. P.s. I’m doing this from my phone but if you would like a picture I’ll gladly send it.
What would you want to say: Thank you for being my mom, for bringing me up to be the strong independent woman I am. Sorry I’ was such a shit teenage
r and I love you so much and never told you.
OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN SURVEY
Name: Christl Howze
Name of loved one: Frances Nelson
Age: 70
Relationship: Mother
How they died: Sickness
A little about the one who passed: My mom raised 4 girls alone. She was witty, supportive and quietly inspiring.
How would one moment change your life? When my mother died, I honestly think I stopped living. And it’s funny in a way because I never thought about it until answering this question. I used to be a more vibrant outgoing person. I think I need her to tell me to start living again. To hear her voice, feel her hug. To feel her gentle inspiration for the rest of my life. She left too soon and too suddenly. I would also want her to give me a message for my grandson. They absolutely loved each other. He was 8 when she died, he’s 18 now. He recently told me when she died he felt he lost his champion. She cheered him on in everything he did. He says he felt angry and lost after she died. I would love to carry a personal message back to him so he could refocus and be the best man he can be.
What would you want to say: I miss you so much.
OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN SURVEY
Name: Debbie J.
Name of loved one: Dorothy R.
Age: 58
Relationship: Mother
How they died: Sickness
A little about the one who passed: I was very close to my mom. I stayed at the hospital every night. On her final night, she was too weak to swallow her meds. So they crushed them and put them in applesauce and I fed them to her. A couple hours later she went into cardiac arrest. They got her back, but she never woke up again. I believe I murdered her.
How would one moment change your life? If she said no, I could forgive myself. If she said yes, then I would know the guilt is exactly where it belongs...on me
What would you want to say: Did I Kill You?
OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN SURVEY
Name: Jeffrey K.
Name of loved one: Bonnie L K.
Age: 53
Relationship: Mother
How they died: Sickness
A little about the one who passed: My mother was my hero, she fought so hard for me when I was in school. She was a great Christian. And the best listener I’ve ever known.
How would one moment change your life? I would have the chance to tell her how much that short moment changed my life. And to share all that I have done in the past 8 years and to just talk about her grandson and great granddaughter and to just say I love her and miss her every day.
What would you want to say: Thank you for telling me to get the Hell back there, God isn’t finished with you yet.
OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN SURVEY
Name: Thomas Oboyle
Name of loved one: Bernie
Age: 59
Relationship: Mother
How they died: Sickness
A little about the one who passed: She was my world, she raised me for most of my life. And she always took care of me, was always there. She was my hero.
How would one moment change your life? Being able to tell her how much I loved her before she died.
What would you want to say: How much I love and miss her.
OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN SURVEY
Name: Julie Fontes
Name of loved one: Nancy
Age: 62
Relationship: Mother
How they died: Sickness
A little about the one who passed: My mom survived an abusive marriage, to go on and inspire many with her quiet compassion. During her life she worked with countless Ill children and babies, while comforting their families as a medical secretary. She would often bend the rules to make sure that families could be together and was so respected by the hospital, they always looked the other way. While my mom fought her 2 year battle with cancer, she was treated like royalty and cried alongside everyone from the laundry staff to the chief of medicine. The funny thing was she would cry with them for them. Never out of self pity.
How would one moment change your life? I had just boarded my plane to see her when she passed. And though I spent a lot of time with her toward the end, I feel being able to say I was sorry for the hell I caused, would give me the opportunity to release the guilt I have. As a mother myself, I now know she made it look so easy. I’d ask her to impart at least a tiny bit of that wisdom and compassion on to me.
What would you want to say: I would say I was sorry. I wasn’t the easiest teen. In fact, I was a nightmare. But my mom got through it with grace and an endless well of love.
OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN SURVEY
Name: Susan
Name of loved one: Harriette
Age: 74
Relationship: Mother
How they died: Sickness
A little about the one who passed: Loved life, had the ability to play with a child and make them laugh.
How would one moment change your life? I just want to be able to tell her how much she meant to me. It would give me closure. By the time I drove from North Dakota to Texas she was already in a coma and I have always felt like I never got to say goodbye. My husband was in the Air Force then and we came home from Germany only six months before she died. We were stationed in North Dakota, and she was in Houston Texas. We had plans for time together but never got that chance.
What would you want to say: How much I loved you.
OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN SURVEY
Name: Frances
Name of loved one: Barbara
Age: 74
Relationship: Mother
How they died: Sickness
A little about the one who passed: She was my best friend....the only person that ever could really make me smile from my heart. She had so much patience. She was always there for me. Never judged. Accepted me and encouraged me to be who I am. I am the person I am because of her...not a day goes by without me missing her. And wishing I could have her back
How would one moment change your life? Just to hold her. And have her call me. My Fran.
What would you want to say: How much I loved her...how much I’ve missed her...everything I’ve been through in the last years she’s been gone.
OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN SURVEY
Name: Carol Ricketts
Name of loved one: Jessie Bee Stewart Wissinger
Age: 65
Relationship: Mother
How they died: Sickness
A little about the one who passed: Everyone was always welcome in our home...didn’t matter if they had 1dollar or a million. She treated everyone well...when she left for heaven, there was standing room only in the chapel...she taught me about giving. .. and she always said we all get here the same way, leave here the same way and everyone’s shit stinks....if they say it doesn’t, they’re trying to sell you something you don’t need.
How would one moment change your life? She was my inspiration, she gave me strength.
What would you want to say: I miss you every day.
OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN SURVEY
Name: Christina Huckaby
Name of loved one: Stephanie
Age: 17
Relationship: Sister
How they died: Self Inflicted
A little about the one who passed: Stephanie was quiet and reserved, a damaged soul. However she had a very deep love for those closest to her that very few outsiders saw.
How would one moment change your life? I would be able to finally let go of the anger, questions and guilt I carried all of these years.
What would you want to say: I love you, miss you and while I don’t understand why she took her life, I forgive her for everything that led to that one irreversible decision.
OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN SURVEY
Name: Laura Tremblay
Name of loved one: Sasha
Age: 8
Relationship: The first dog I owned and he was my spirit guide
How they died: Sickness
A little about the o
ne who passed: He was a dog but felt like he was a person. I rescued him at 5 weeks a old and he was imprinted on me from that day forward. He was there for me during my depression and when I felt nobody else was there for me. I loved him more than any other human being in my life. I miss him every day and look forward to the day when I will be reunited with him.
How would one moment change your life? I would be able to have closure as his death was completely unexpected. I thought he was healthy and 72 hours later I was saying goodbye to him. If I had known I would have done so much more with him and loved him that much more. I would have told him how grateful I was to have him in my life.
What would you want to say: I love you and I am so sorry, I did not know you were sick.
Special thank you to …
For taking the time to answer the survey, I wish to thank and dedicate this book to:
RaniDae Tacey
Melissa Woodruff
Brenda R
Cindy
Ione Couch
Stacy Ruff
Susan P.
Sophia Neuzil
Susan Hayes
Cathy B.
Amber Williams
Priscilla Norris
Cherye Elliot
Monica Orluk
JoJo G.
Michael D.
Amanda
Sherry
Annika W.
Shelley
Beth
Kayleigh
Paul S.
Julie Colegate
Adrienne Scott
Vickyjo
Rosemary Spiteri