Heartbreak as Mum Dies Walking to Her Daughter's High School Graduation: "It Is Hard"
- Jeanne Byrd was on her way to her daughter Marlene's high school graduation when she collapsed in the parking lot
- Her son, Mark Juan, received a distressing call from his aunt alerting him to the emergency situation
- Mark rushed to the parking lot with the help of a security guard, where he, unfortunately, watched his mom take her last breath
A family in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, US, has been thrown into mourning following the loss of a loved one.
Source: Youtube
Jeanne Byrd was on her way to witness her daughter’s high school graduation when she sadly and unexpectedly passed away.
Mark receives distressing call from aunt
She was walking through the parking lot on her way to Marlene's graduation when she collapsed.
Her son, Mark Juan, said that following the untimely death of his mother, his life changed drastically in an instant.
"My aunt called me and told me that my mom had collapsed. She told me I needed to get there quickly," he told WXII 12 News.
The young man was inside the coliseum, waiting for the rest of his family, when he received the distressing call.
Mark performs CPR on Jeanne Byrd
A kindhearted security guard drove him in a golf cart to the back parking lot, where he saw his mother lying on the ground.
He rushed to her and performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) while waiting for paramedics to arrive.
Mark painfully recounted the final moments with his mother, sadly and helplessly watching her take her last breath.
"This was a curse. I sat there watching my mom's soul rip out of her. I watched her take her last breath. It was very hard for me, and it is still hard for me to this day. I barely get any sleep. When I close my eyes, I see the last few moments with my mom, being gone," he said emotionally.
Marlene in tears as mum dies on her way to her graduation
Marlene received her diploma, adorned in the school’s traditional red graduation gown, unaware of what had happened to her mother.
A guidance counsellor was waiting for her to settle down before breaking the news to her on her special day.
"They hadn’t told me yet. They said my mom had been in an accident and that they were going to take me to the hospital to see her. I thought it was something like a car accident, so I wasn’t too scared," she said, her voice cracking as her siblings comforted her.
Mark Juan hails his mum Jeanne Byrd
Mark noted that the family was getting by day by day, doing whatever they could to honour their late mother’s memory.
Jeanne was hailed as a woman who brought joy into the lives of everyone she met — a trait she will be remembered for.
"My mom was probably, I dare say, one of the loudest, most energetic, loving, and caring people you will ever come across. She was always a safe haven for any kid or anybody," Mark said.
Source: Youtube
Young mum elated as daughter graduates
In another story, a young mother beamed with joy as her daughter defied the odds to graduate from high school.
Katrina Forrest became a parent at 15 when she gave birth to her firstborn, Kamiya. As a teen mom, she was forced to drop out of school to care for her newborn.
Kamiya successfully finished school and graduated with her peers — something her mother never had the chance to do.
Katrina shared an emotional story on social media about her experience raising Kamiya, expressing deep pride in her daughter’s achievement.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
