Today I watched Oprah. She had Celine Dion as a guest and the topic had to do with miracle babies. I was so touched with the segment that followed that, emotional as I was, I felt I had to share this story with you.
Imagine for a moment that you were a child once again. And that your parents, being generous and loving people, rewarded you with a single balloon for every one of your achievements. I’m sure we’d all have a different answer as to the number of balloons we’d have collected being as different as we are! But what if your parents graded you on a completely different scale than what we’re used to? That is, let’s say that they didn’t look at how high your GPA was or how well you did at sports (these things are merely superficial anyways), but instead they felt that your survival and well-being alone was merit enough for a reward. And that in their eyes, a single balloon was not just a token of their appreciation but a symbol for every passing day, as that conflictingly meant that both a day was lost and gained.
That is in essence the story of “99 Balloons” told by a Dad on his blog whose son was born with Edwards syndrome. In the midst of heartbreaking tragedy, the Mooney family ultimately found the presence of God strengthening, comforting, and guiding them. Their story reminds us to seek God and endure our struggles rather than blame Him for our hardships. I hope that you feel the same way.
Thanks so much for sharing about the wonderful spotlight shown on Trisomy 18 and children living with it’s impact, by Oprah show. Some good news — there is a scheduled update (and follow up interview with Eliot’s parents) on Oprah again TODAY! We hope that our efforts to get more national attention for our cause will help serve all families affected by Trisomy 18 in the future. Come visit http://www.trisomy18.org/eliot for updates and to learn more about famlies like the the Mooney’s!