University of Massachusetts Amherst

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Bianca

Bianca was raised by a single mother who struggled to provide for her five children. She was 8-years-old when her mother died. Bianca says she tells her story because her life, though painful, has made her a strong woman and a wonderful mother to two beautiful children. “Of course, I love my mother. I miss my mother dearly. But, I’m always going to be strong for my babies,” she says.

Video Transcript

It wasn’t easy, seeing my mother struggle—at that time I really did not know, but now I do. I know it was hard for her raising us five on her own. Trying to keep us happy, even when she was sick and in pain. But at that time, I really did not know, cause I was only 8 years old when she died. Now I can say I understand the struggles she went through, raising us on her own, cause I am mother of two and I have to give up everything to give them everything.

So yeah, there are times I wish I was a little older to know that she was dying, cause from I can remember, seeing her in that casket, I thought she was sleeping, and I’d see her the next morning, and I never did. But I’m glad I didn’t know, cause I don’t think I could bare looking in that casket and knowing she was gone and never coming back. And as we all know, we can’t bring back time. I look back and say, “It’s ok, cause this made me who I am today, a strong woman and a wonderful mother to two beautiful children. I’m telling this part of my story, because I always get asked by other women, “How can I be so strong?” and living without my mother. And like I tell them, it isn’t easy, but you have to face the fact that she’s gone and never coming back, no matter how much I cry. And you can’t just lay there and be depressed all the time, cause it’s not going to take you anywhere.

Of course, I love my mother. I miss my mother dearly. But, I’m always going to be strong, for my babies, so when they grow up, they’ll know I never quit on them and never will, just like my mother never quit on her children.