the one moment…

Learning to live again following the death of a child

“Every day I replay you…. your every detail. I don’t want to lose a single memory. I’d rather the pain of remembering than to forget the feeling of happiness.“
– Renata Suzuki

Ben McDonald

1993 – 2018

one moment…

7th October 2018 our youngest son Ben died from sudden cardiac arrest (SADS). He was twenty five.

One moment life was normal, then it wasn’t.

One moment we had a complete family, then we didn’t.

One moment changed everything!

‘I used to think things like this only happened to someone else…

Now I know – we’re all someone else to someone else!’

Grief hurts. The loss of our special person leaves a massive hole in our world. Nothing will ever be the same. It can’t be. And trying to find the strength to keep living with a broken shattered heart is almost impossible. All we can do is let love guide us as we take one day (even one minute) at a time – carrying them in our hearts – always and forever!!

Losing a child was something I couldn’t even bear thinking about – then one day it happened. So I write to try and understand a reality that will probably never feel real – to put jumbled thoughts into words and make sense of something that just feels so wrong – our children are simply not meant to die before us! I guess writing probably stops me from going crazy!

Connecting with others who share this agonising grief has been an unexpected gift. The invisible and magnetic bond between grief parents is priceless. Hurting hearts hurting together.

It would be an honour if you would join me on this agonising journey – one that we certainly didn’t choose, definitely don’t want and could never have anticipated!

Please feel free to use my Facebook page to keep in touch. I’d love to hear from you. @theonemoment2020

With love

Ruth xx

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