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My Badass Mama

She probably never would have referred to herself as a badass, but since losing my mom in February, I can’t seem to think of her any other way.


The definition of the word badass:

  • As a noun, a badass refers to a person who embodies these qualities. They are formidable, impressive, and often someone you admire or find awe-inspiring.


This is her. She did some pretty awe inspiring and impressive things in her lifetime, in my lifetime. The thing that stands out to me the most is her marriages. She didn’t have the best taste in men, and was easily fooled by their pre marriage charm. She would tell you that. But she was courageous enough to leave as she saw the way things were really going to be when the charm wore off. She was brave enough to pack a bag and leave a house with 3 kids in the middle of the night, just because she got word that my dad found out where we lived. I think It takes a really strong woman to leave 4 abusive and neglectful men, and to be doing it for her safety and the safety of her children. That’s badass in my eyes.

As a mostly single parent, her four children were always dressed, fed, educated and protected. We moved a lot. With every move, she wasted no time getting us in school and finding a job to support us the best she could. There was never support from our dad, at all. She did it all completely alone. I’ve never had to do any of that alone, so in my opinion, this is also badass.


In the beginning stages of COVID, June 2020, my mom had a heart valve replacement. She found out a few months earlier that she needed this surgery. She went into the hospital knowing she would be there by herself 97% of the time, completely by herself, so they could replace her valve with one that was from a pig. That’s pretty badass, And it bought her four more years.


She spent her elderly years relying on her children. Fifteen months before her passing, however, she survived losing one of her sons to cancer. I know she wanted to just wither away then, but she stayed strong, even in this moment. The last year of her life, she moved into an assisted living apartment. She made a ton of new friends, played lots of Bingo, and exercised more than she had in years by walking (with her walker) the hallways of that building. Her life ended with her being just stubborn enough to ask for the help of those she loved most, 3 of her children. Because she was our example, we were all just badass enough, to make sure the end of her life was the way she wanted it.

So, whether she would have seen herself that way or not, I did and do. She wasn’t perfect by any means, nobody is, but she did her best.

I will spend my days making sure that I honor the strength and determination she instilled in me.

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May 12, 2024
Rated 5 out of 5 stars.

What an amazing woman!

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