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Big Momma was always around and the family always discussed how we didn't think we could make it when she was gone. It just was not an option.
I will take you back to two weeks before she passed away in April 2006. It was a normal day, just like any other or so we thought, until Joanne, my Aunt, called and said she was taking Big Momma to the doctor because she wasn't feeling well. Of course, word spread quickly through the family that Big Momma was at the doctor, everyone curious as to what was going on. Within a few hours we learned that she would be hospitalized for pneumonia. I felt my heart drop inside with worry, Big Momma was never sick. We often bragged about her 96 years and what great health she was always in so you can imagine this took us by surprise.

It was so bad. Big Momma ended up in the hospital over the next week with so many of us standing around her bed every single day. At times she would wake up and ask for Juanita, my momma. She is the baby of the 11 children that Big Momma had. Momma was always the comfort for Big Momma, whatever it was. When all of the other girls had moved away after growing up, Momma stayed close by and was there to look after Big Momma. She was her comfort. We could just see the relief that Big Momma had when we told her momma was there, or "she's on her way". Big Momma continued to drift in and out, struggling to catch her breath as she slept. We were all so sick, but at that point we had never given up the thought that she was going to make it out of there, "she was always here, she'll be alright". Maybe this was our way of comforting ourselves, rather than accepting the fact that she was 96 years old, tired and exhausted from this long life, and maybe needed to rest.
We continued to reassure her everytime she would awake to see every one there. I can remember one day about 5 days before she passed, she woke up and I bent over the bed to talk to her and hold her hand. She said to me "I'm just scared". No one can imagine the feeling of hearing her say those words. At this point they weren't giving her much hope of recovering, but I looked into her eyes with a strong face and said to her "we're here with you and we're not going anywhere". She responded and said "you're not"? I said "No" and she begin to rest again. Everyday I had to go to work, but every single day after work, I went to sit by her bed. I just wanted her to know that she would never be alone. By her bedside were her children, grandchildren, and great-

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