Sometimes it takes something pretty crappy to happen in order to be reminded of how incredibly kind and genuine people can be. In a split second when your world feels like it’s crumbling around you, you look around and see people who are there helping lift you up. It is an amazing feeling. One I hope everyone gets to experience ones in their lifetime, minus the world crumbling part.

When Ella was air lifted to Westchester Medical Center, I was in Myrtle Beach with CJ. I was our third full day there and I had borrowed a car from a friend. We decided that morning it was going to be a mother/son day. We went to the beach early and played in the ocean. After about two hours in the sun Cj was fried and wanted to come back to the room. When we got back he asked if he could have McDonald’s for lunch. We were on vacation so it seemed like a reasonable request. After we went through the drive thru I told CJ I wanted ice cream.

In typical CJ fashion, as we were sitting in a parking lot while he ate his food, he told me he had to use the bathroom. As I searched the parking lot for adequate shrubbery , I noticed that there was a candy/ice cream shop staring us in the face. Boom. Mission accomplished. I went in and got the most delicious ice cream sundae and CJ walked out with a life size snake gummy. He was thrilled and my belly was happy.

There was no real plan so I told him I wanted to head over to Broadway at the Beach. He was on board so I headed in that direction. Halfway there he started complaining it was too hot. He didn’t want to walk around and would prefer to go back to the room. I was disappointed but didn’t want to get out with a cranky kid. Normally I wouldn’t care and would go anyway but I turned the car around. I didn’t have it in me to fight with him.

The universe must have been trying to tell me something through CJ because half way back to the room, Steve called. He told me that Ella had been having non stop seizures and was being taken by ambulance to the hospital. He was going with her but would call me soon with an update. My mind was racing and I drove back. I had a million questions. Right before we reached the room, my phone rang again. It was my mother-in-law. Change of plans, Ella was being airlifted. Steve was going with her.

I dropped CJ off at the room with my mother and text Steve to tell him I was getting a flight and coming home. His reply….ok. I got online and found a flight leaving three hours later. A flight that my friend in MB just so happened to be leaving on to come back home. I called her, asked if she could bring me to the airport, went back and packed, said my goodbyes, and got to the airport. It all happened so fast. Looking back, I think that was a good thing. I was getting updates from Steve but things were moving so quickly, I didn’t have time to really process all that was happening.

Before we got on the flight I talked to Steve. They had arrived at the hospital and Ella was stable. He told me that she has been intubated and explained it was to give her body the chance to calm down from the seizures and was one less thing she had to do on her own. He wanted me to know before I walked into the PICU and saw her. He knew I would be devastated.

The flight home was long but I ended up sitting near my friend and she did a fabulous job of keeping me occupied. Her ride became my ride when I got home and my mother-in-law was waiting with the boys so I could hop in the car and drive down. I got to the hospital, walked into the PICU and my heart sank. Steve wasn’t alone when I arrived and all night the nurses and staff were so attentive.

I would have never been able to leave if the people who we were vacationing with didn’t step up to help with CJ, if my friend had not made it so easy to get to the airport, and then home, and kept me distracted on the plane, if there wasn’t someone at the house to look after the boys, and if there weren’t so many people praying for our baby girl.

The kindness didn’t stop there. The calls, the texts, the prayers, the medivac team, the paramedics and EMT’s, the local police department, our neighbors, the nurses, the doctors, the strangers and friends who donated meals, time, and money to help us be able to do what we needed to do and not have to worry about a thing. The family who stood by us helping with Jack and CJ even though they had their own responsibilities and lives to live. There are not enough thank yous in the world to express the gratitude that we have for all that was done.

Steve and I have had a lot of time to reflect on what happened since Ella was admitted and discharged. Now more than ever, we will continue to pay it forward. People make choices every day and kindness is one of them. I encourage everyone to be kind. Call or text that friend who is going through a rough time to check in, give some pennies to the man ringing the bell for the Salvation Army, buy those Girl Scout cookies. Be supportive. The smallest gesture goes a long way. Don’t ever think what you do doesn’t matter or what you say isn’t heard. I am here to tell you it does and it is.

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