A pregnant mother of three needs to sell her stroller to feed her three children after she was abandoned by her husband.
Anne Sargent sat on her kitchen floor and cried. It was past midnight, and it was the only time she could allow herself to show her pain — when her three children were asleep upstairs.
Anne felt the baby move and placed a tender hand on her belly. “I’m sorry,” she whispered to her unborn child. “I’m doing my best, but it’s just not good enough…”
Just two months ago, Anne had been a radially happy wife and mother, confidently expecting the birth of her fourth child, and confident in her place in the world and her husband’s love. That woman was gone.
Derek had come home one night and told her he was leaving, just like that. “But why?” asked Anne. “I don’t understand, I thought we were happy!”
“YOU were happy!” Derek cried. “YOU, not me! All you did was have babies and fuss over them, now there’s one more on the way!”
“But you WANTED children!” Anne protested. “You were happy every time I was pregnant…”
A family is built on understanding and mutual respect.
“Happy?” screamed Derek. “Happy that you gave all your love and attention to the kids? All I was to you was a paycheck! Well, that’s OVER!”
So three months after Anne announced her fourth pregnancy, Derek was gone. Anne immediately went out and found herself a part-time job at a local grocery store.
The owner would have been willing to give her a full-time job, but for that, Anne would have needed to pay a sitter for her three boys and that would have consumed most of her salary, so she carefully stretched her salary. But even with the child support check Derek sent, it just wasn’t enough.
Anne started selling some antique china she’d inherited from her grandmother and that paid for the utilities for a few months. Then she sold a silver brush-and-mirror set she’d had since she was a little girl, and that paid for groceries. Little by little, as her belly grew, Anne sold her treasures to keep her family safe and fed.
Then one day, there was nothing left to sell except bric-a-brac. Anything of greater value was gone. Anne looked at the old stroller she’d brought up from the cellar.
It had been hers when she was a baby and had been used by each of her children in turn. It was very old, probably from the sixties, but it was in mint condition.
She ran her hand over the roses painted on the side and bit back her tears. She needed it for the new baby, but she needed the money even more.
She thought about getting a good price for it down at the flea market. Vintage items were always popular… And so she took the stroller to the flea market, and one of the dealers gave her $50 for it. Not much at all, but every cent helped.
Anne walked away, sure she’d never see the stroller again, but she was wrong. Two days later, she opened the front door and saw the stroller on the porch!
There was an envelope inside and Anne opened it and read: “Please call me.” The message was followed by a phone number. Anne called the number ad a woman answered her.
“Hello?” Anne said. “Are you the person who left the stroller? How did you know who it belonged to and where I live?”
“Derek told me,” the woman on the other side said. “I’m Grace Robbs. I think we should meet.”
An hour later, Grace was sitting on Anne’s sofa sipping tea. She was a pretty woman, six or seven years younger than Anne, and she looked very unhappy. Her pale skin was blotched and her eyes were swollen as if she’d been crying.
“How do you know Derek,” Anne asked, even though in her heart she already knew the answer.
“I was his girlfriend,” Grace said.
“Was?” asked Anne. “You broke up?”
“Today, as a matter of fact,” Grace said and started crying. “I didn’t know…I didn’t know about you or the children, or the baby… I found out I was pregnant, and I didn’t know how to tell him…”
“So I went to the flea market with a friend and saw this darling stroller and I bought it. I put it in the middle of the lounge and tied balloons to it with a message: ‘Hello Dad!’”
“But he wasn’t happy like I thought he’d be. He started screaming and asking where II got the stroller and if his stupid wife had given it to me. He asked if it was a joke.”
“He told me to take it right back, that he didn’t want to know about your baby. So I told him: ‘It’s for OUR baby.’ and that’s when he went crazy.”
“He accused me of wanting to trap him and said he already had three brats with you and one more on the way, and he didn’t want my baby. He told me to get out and come to you.”
“He said: ‘Might as well have all the breeding cows under the same roof.’ I’m so sorry, I didn’t know about you, I guess I didn’t know him at all!”
Anne got up and put her arm around the crying girl. “It’s okay. It’s going to be okay, you’ll see.”
“He’s kicked me out,” Grace said quietly. “I have no family here and nowhere to go. I have a job, but with the rents in this city, I can’t afford to live alone, and who is going to want a pregnant roommate?”
“I will!” Anne said firmly. “I need a tenant because what I earn isn’t enough, and I can’t work full-time because I can’t afford a babysitter for after school.”
“But…” Grace’s face lit up. “I work online! I can take care of the kids after school. I love kids!”
“So I can take a full-time job?” asked Anne, delighted. “The owner of the grocery store wants me to manage it for him. With your help, I can! And you don’t have to worry about stuff for the baby. After three kids I have enough for an army.”
Grace smiled through her tears. “And we have the stroller too…” she pointed out. “Are you sure? It’s Derek’s baby…”
“No,” Anne shook her head. “It’s YOUR baby, and my children’s sibling, that is all that matters.”
The two women settled into a new life together, and when Anne’s baby was born, Grace was there. When it was Grace’s turn four months later, Anne held her hand. They became a real family and raised their five children together.
As for Derek, he had several failed relationships and eventually came knocking on Anne’s door. He was shocked when he saw Grace there and asked to speak to Anne. “What do you want, Derek?” Anne asked.
“I miss you, babe…” Derek said.
Anne stared at him for a long moment then said, “Sorry, so not interested!” And she closed the door in his face.
What can we learn from this story?
If we work together, we can overcome any problem. Anne and Grace couldn’t survive alone, but together they were an unbeatable team.
A family is built on understanding and mutual respect. Anne and Grace forged a family out of their friendship and mutual support.
Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.
Siblings Derrick, 4, and Harmony, 7, Lost Their Lives in the Devastating Hurricane Helene: What We Know
What began as a peaceful evening for the Taylor family quickly turned into an unimaginable tragedy. Kisses were exchanged before bedtime, with no one realizing that by the next morning, their lives would be shattered by devastating news.
Among the more than two dozen victims of the catastrophic storm in Georgia were a brother and sister, Derrick and Harmony. Their untimely deaths have left the entire community mourning, as families try to cope with the overwhelming grief of losing loved ones.
On the evening of September 26, 2024, Crystal Taylor, 34, spent time with her eldest daughter, Cassidy, 11, as they snuggled up on the couch watching “Beat Bobby Flay.” As they drifted off to sleep, Crystal kept one eye on the weather, monitoring the approaching Hurricane Helene. In the bedroom, her husband, Herbert Taylor, 39, was asleep with their two younger children, Harmony, 7, and Derrick, 4.
Though they knew Hurricane Helene was heading toward eastern Middle Georgia, the family wasn’t sure how much it would affect them inland. But as midnight came and went, the storm’s fury descended on the area, sweeping through the countryside and moving relentlessly across rivers toward Sandersville, a small town right in its path.
Around 4:00 a.m., Crystal received a call from her mother, checking if the house was still safe. Crystal reassured her that everything was fine, though the winds had picked up and a giant oak tree loomed over the backyard. Herbert, waking up, saw the wind lift the cover off his truck and moved toward the children’s bedroom to check on them.
Before he could reach them, disaster struck. The massive oak tree crashed onto the bed where Harmony and Derrick were sleeping, collapsing the house in a split second. Herbert shouted in panic, “My babies,” as the impact triggered an electrical fire. Crystal and Cassidy rushed to safety at a neighbor’s house, while Cassidy tearfully called 911.
Cassidy remained brave as she explained, “A tree fell on our house. My little brother and sister are trapped inside, and the house is on fire.” Emergency crews arrived to find the home engulfed and the oak tree blocking access to the children. Despite their best efforts, it took over five hours to cut through the tree, and by then, it was too late.
Crystal, in her heartbreak, clung to hope as she waited, imagining her children emerging safely. She could see Derrick asking for his favorite cookies and crackers, and Harmony asking for her favorite boiled potatoes made by her grandfather. But tragically, the children were gone.
The Taylor family, now grieving the loss of Derrick and Harmony, has expressed their gratitude for the outpouring of love and support. Herbert shared on social media how much the prayers and kind words have meant to them, while Crystal echoed his sentiments, thanking everyone for their care during this difficult time.
The Taylors have also been receiving generous financial support through Herbert’s Cash App, $Rick4715, as well as via a GoFundMe campaign organized by Brittany Price and Jenna Barefield on behalf of the family. So far, the GoFundMe has raised over $45,000 out of its $50,000 goal.
The page reads, “We kindly ask for your support to help the family during this devastating time, covering funeral expenses, securing a new home, and managing daily costs. Their eldest daughter also remains in their care.”
With more than 750 contributions, the Taylors are incredibly grateful for the flood of financial help, prayers, and thoughtful gestures from their community.
The Taylors, along with other affected families, are working to rebuild their lives after such a heartbreaking loss. As previously reported, Hurricane Helene has left a tragic trail of destruction, taking the lives of many, including a young boy and his grandparents. The boy’s aunt shared the heartbreaking details of their story in a lengthy post online.
According to CBS News, Hurricane Helene has claimed at least 135 lives so far. Among the hardest-hit states, North Carolina has suffered the most, with over 80 reported deaths, according to officials.
One particularly heart-wrenching account shared by the news outlet involved a mother, her young son, and her parents who were stranded on a rooftop in Ashville, North Carolina. As the floodwaters rose and their house collapsed, Megan Drye tragically watched her 7-year-old son, Micah, and her parents get swept away. While Megan was rescued, Micah and his grandparents were not as fortunate.
Megan’s sister, Jessica Drye Turner, took to Facebook to share updates about the tragedy. In her post, dated September 30, Jessica expressed the emotional toll the loss has taken on her and her family, as they come to terms with the heartbreaking reality.
“I feel a sense of peace knowing we will see them again one day,” Jessica wrote, sharing her faith in the belief that her loved ones are now with Jesus. She reflected on how the fear and desperation they experienced during their final moments have now been replaced with peace in the afterlife.
Jessica also acknowledged the immense grief her sister Megan faces, having witnessed the tragic events firsthand. “It breaks my heart that Megan will have to live with those memories, but they are no longer suffering,” she shared, adding that Megan has a long road ahead to heal from the trauma.
In a particularly poignant moment, Jessica revealed that Micah’s body had been found about a quarter of a mile from where Megan was rescued. “He was such a perfect little boy,” Jessica wrote, “He always wanted to be a superhero, and now he is.”
Jessica also shared that Micah’s final words were a plea to heaven: “Jesus! Please help me!” She concluded the post by stating that despite the grief, her faith remains strong, adopting a new motto: “New grief and strong faith.”
Jessica’s post also recounted the terrifying experience Megan endured while waiting to be rescued. Swept away by the flood, Megan found herself wedged between two trailers, where she remained for three agonizing hours before help finally arrived.
Much like Jessica, Heather’s friend, Amanda Sprouse Simpkins, also took to Facebook to share the heartbreaking news.
In her post, Amanda urged, “Please lift up Megan, Jessica Drye Turner, Heather, and their family in your prayers. Megan has suffered an unimaginable loss and is left with nothing. If you feel called to help, please consider giving. If not, your prayers are more than enough.”
Amanda’s plea referred to the GoFundMe page that Heather set up to support her sister during this difficult time.
“For Megan Drye, our miracle, who has endured every mother’s worst fear. She survived the unthinkable but has lost everything. The kindness and generosity of others will be what sustains her, helping her take one breath, one step, and one day at a time,” reads part of the GoFundMe description.
Adding another layer of heartbreak to this tragedy is that Heather chose the last photo Micah’s grandmother ever took of him for the page. The picture shows Micah, wearing a Jurassic World T-shirt, smiling happily while his grandmother is seen in the reflection of the door, capturing the moment.
Even as Hurricane Helene’s fury subsides, its aftermath continues to leave devastation across several states. Despite efforts to minimize the damage, the storm’s impact has been overwhelming.
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