Life has a way of bringing people into our lives that give us hope in humanity; for me, that person is my best friend's mother, Darlene. Never has a person been able to live up to their name more completely than her; she truly is darling. A mother who opened her home to lost teenagers. Kids with lonely pasts, who saw no reason to believe in a future. She’d welcome us into the kitchen, inviting us to be our most authentic self. There was never a sense that she was tired of seeing us or lending an ear or shoulder to cry on. She may be my best friend’s mother, but for many of us - she was family. A nurturer by heart, a woman who gives so much of herself to anyone in need. She’d be there to offer you the guidance you need in this world. 

If you know her, you know she tirelessly gives of herself to anyone in need, from her grandkids and special needs students to new immigrants and asylum seekers arriving at the shelters and bus stations. She has been working with special needs students as a teacher and teacher’s aid from the elementary level up through high school. That’s what Darlene does, she accepts all of us, and lets us know just how special we are. 

Many of us have moved away, going on to new chapters in our lives; but I’d like to believe that most of us remember what it was like to feel loved by her when we couldn’t feel it by ourselves. 

Last August the Torres family received news that Darlene was diagnosed with cancer. She faced two successful surgeries, and initially a promising diagnosis; however, she took a devastating turn for the worse this past November. During the holidays she was hospitalized for a month and a half, a time in which families come together for joy, but would be the hardest & most stressful time for the Torres family. Darlene is one of the strongest human beings anyone will ever meet, and she showed her tenacity by fighting her way through. She is finally home with family; who continue to dedicate themselves to helping her gain the strength needed so that she may continue treatments in the near future.

The goal we’re aiming for is peace of mind. Peace that the hospital bills – past, present and future – will be paid in full. Peace that in the next few months while she’ll be going through treatments and rehabilitation, those bills will be settled. Peace that there will be enough for her to retire. Peace that she will be filled with hope from all of us, because we showed up to give her the peace that’s long overdue.

Her strength has always come from her faith and her love for us. Now that we’re a little bit older, and hopefully wiser, it’s time to give back. Lets replenish her faith by returning the love she gave us. Let’s believe in her the way she continues to believe in us. Let’s help her battle cancer, so that she may have a restful recovery.
-Shaddai Berron