There’s no other way to put it—my mom is my best friend.
Even though I moved across the country a few years ago, I feel like it brought us closer together. We talk on the phone everyday. She’s the person I confide in, tell my deepest secrets to and the one I turn to for advice when I feel like the world is caving in on me.
My mom is my role model and I only hope I grow into half the woman she is. I’ve watched her take on the world without flinching. She’s the strongest woman I know and thankfully, she’s passed some of that onto me. Even as her heart was breaking watching my stepfather battle cancer, she stayed strong for him. She stuck by his side and held his hand as he took his last breaths on this earth. Her love for him proved to me that true love really does exist.
Though we’ve had our differences, my mom has always had my back. She’s done everything she could to make sure my dreams came true—including instilling an adventurous spirit in me that I needed to branch out on my own. She gave me the best possible education and spared no expense to make sure my future was bright—and most of the time, she was doing it all on her own.
Mom, I love you so much more than I can ever put into words. I know I can never repay you for all that you’ve done for me, but know that from the bottom of my heart that I am truly grateful. You continue to inspire me each and everyday. Mom, you truly are amazing.
Erin Redmond, Dispatch sports editor
