Remembering you tonight, and always Mom

[Control-Z]

It was 43 years ago tonight that my mother, Gerri Santoro, died from an abortion.
I'm at a loss for words but wanted and needed to honor her memory.
God, I miss her.

[wellstone dem]

1. God bless you and your mom. NT

[Control-Z]

10. Thank you, wellstone

Thank you so much.

[Maat]

2. Thanks for honoring her memory.

We in the Maat Family also honor her memory, and are very sorry for your loss. Her story has great meaning to us, and motivates me to fight for reproductive rights.

Blessings, comfort, and healing to you,

Maat

[Control-Z]

11. Oh, Maat

The tears are flowing again. I know that after all these years I should have them in check. But her death will never feel right to me, and the direction this country has taken makes it all the more difficult for me to find peace.

Thank you, and your family, for your support and kind words.

Joannie

[Cooley Hurd]

3. I'm so sorry for your loss, dA...

...I pray that we never return to those days.:(

[Control-Z]

12. I fear that is where we are headed

and it makes her death seem even more futile. Even a year ago I still had a lot of hope. Not so much now, though, after the developments over the past year. I'm afraid we may have to learn, again, the hard way.

Thank you, Cooley.

[durrrty libby]

4. I'm sure she would be proud of you

And may that never happen to another woman

[Control-Z]

13. And to think there are people

who are not bothered by the prospect of women dying or of leaving children to grow up without a loving mom.

Thank you, durrrty libby, I hope someday to make my mother proud. I'm still working on it.

[bliss_eternal]

5. sending you....

:hug:s dancingalone.

So sorry for your loss.
Thank you for sharing your feelings here with us. :grouphug:

[Control-Z]

15. There is so much

I wish I could share. My emotions get in the way, though. Maybe someday.

Your hugs are especially comforting to me, bliss. Thank you.

[bliss_eternal]

16. Anytime, friend...

:hug::pals:

:hi:

[Control-Z]

26. Thanks

:hug: That means so much to me.

[Loki]

6. May no other women have to face this kind of choice ever again.

With love and remembrance from my family to yours.

Lee

[Control-Z]

18. Thank you, Lee

My family and I are grateful for those like you and yours.

[iverglas]

7. honour

is a wonderful word. Even if you do spell it funny. ;)

Your mum was an honourable woman, and you carry her memory well. Everyone who sees this will be thinking of you tonight.

[Control-Z]

19. I believe you are right!

The look of "honour" seems to imply a higher reverence, even.

iverglas, thank you. After so many years I am just learning to carry my mother's memory. I hope I can and will do it well.

[Iris]

8. It's wonderful of you to keep the memory of your mother alive and to draw attention

to the fact that she need not have died so young. I'm sure she appreciates you. :hug:

[Control-Z]

21. It's usually pretty difficult

to draw attention to this because there is a very large part of me that still wants to forget and deny. But I know it needs to be shared over and over and over until people get it. I haven't really done that enough yet but I'm trying.

[roguevalley]

9. This is a horror. God bless your wonderful mom and you and your

family. I am so very sorry. I pray we never go back to this.

[Control-Z]

22. Thank you for your kind thoughts, roguevalley

It has been a horror, but I'm really not alone - my mom was just one of thousands. I just read an abortion thread in GD. The stories there were passionate and honest and some very frightening. We just can't go back but I fear we will.

[uppityperson]

14. I am at a loss for words, can only k&r.

[Maat]

17. I am at a loss for (more) words, too.

All I can do is teach my daughter ... how important it is to fight to preserve what rights we have, and to enhance reproductive and family planning options for all. It is the best way to honor DancingAlone's mom.

Group hug for DancingAlone!

:grouphug:

[Control-Z]

24. I'm teaching my daughters

and my son the same. They've known about their grandmother, as sad as that is, practically from the day they were born.

[Control-Z]

23. I understand now,

after many years, that it isn't just me. Talking about my mom is difficult for most everyone. :hug:

[Duppers]

20. just now caught this thread on the Greatest page

I was thinking about your mom when I read and posted on "We had abortions" thread (also on the Greatest page), where I mentioned you and linked to your journal.

DancingAlone, your mother's enduring story touched me, and I've a sense of the great strength you have had over the years in dealing with it. I'm glad you post on DU.

:hug:


We all must fight to keep abortions safe by keeping them LEGAL.

[Control-Z]

25. I'm not sure

about great strength but I'm still here and can't imagine giving up the fight. I still have a lot of growing to do, though.

DU has been a gift to me. People like you have offered me more hope, comfort and healing than any other in my life. I am so grateful.

[ThomCat]

27. I'm adding my thoughts and well wishes for you

and what your family has gone through.

May no other family ever lose someone this way. :hug:

[Control-Z]

29. I hope you see this

I'm just now seeing your response here and I appreciate it more than you know.

You have been behind the women here on DU every step of the way, since I first got here. We haven't interacted much with each other in the past but I've often wanted to thank you, personally, for your sensitivity and understanding.

I haven't spent a lot of time on DU of late. With talk about my mother in a couple of threads, I've kind of been in hiding. (I still never really know how to address those conversations, so, I guess, I fall back on my old instincts to run for cover.) Anyway, Did I read something in the recent past about medication issues you've been having - that you were having some success with? I hope. I hope, with all my heart, that is true and that you are doing well.

Thank you, ThomCat, for your kind and caring presence here and for your steadfast support.

[MikeH]

28. Hugs and well wishes for you, Joannie

I enjoyed our DU gathering in February, and enjoyed meeting you.:)

That is terrible about the loss of your mother at such a young age; you have my condolences.

I find very disgusting the smug insensitivity, self-righteousness, and hypocrisy of those who call themselves "pro-life".:puke:

Hugs to you.:hug: :hug:

[Control-Z]

30. Thank you, Mike

Meeting you and the other So Cal DUers this year was an honor for me, and a privilege. It is an unbelievable gift for me to be able to say my mother's name without cringing at the thought of possible retaliation. I appreciate your kind words and the luxury of interacting with other like minded people here on DU.