Before my mom married my step dad, she had already overcome some impossible obstacles. She battled (and won) the fight with drug addiction, came out of homelessness, and was raising me and my brother on her own.
When I was five, she married my step dad. They had two children.
Over the years I begged and begged her to leave him. She gave me various excuses, including “God doesn’t believe in divorce.” She let him verbally and physically abuse her and all four of us.
After 16 years, his abuse was exposed, and she finally filed for divorce. Sadly, and to everyone’s disapproval, she still let him have full access to the house where she was living with my three siblings.
On 9/26/23, he walked in, asked my mom to talk to him, locked the bathroom door, and shot her five times before committing suicide.
The signs were there. Everyone knew he was unstable. But he was still able to have a massive collection of over 30 guns.
You can only imagine the grief that ensued. For me, the worst part of it is knowing that this happens so often, and yet, anyone can buy a gun.
I’ll always miss my mom.