8/27/15-
Dear Tom,
My mom was a construction worker who operated heavy machinery. She built things all over Miami working long hours during the day in the Florida heat. I remember her coming home to sleep a few hours before going back to work the overnight shift because it paid more. She did what she had to do raising 2 girls and a boy as a single mom.
We are currently 35, 26 & 27. Once we were all grown up, my mom met a great man at her church – the deacon! They got married and decided to have a baby together. My mom kept working construction until her 7th month of pregnancy.
But after giving birth to her son in 2004, she was diagnosed with a heart condition and had to quit construction work for something less strenuous. She has since recovered and works as a day shift security guard. It gives her time to raise my baby brother. She has also taken on the duty of raising my little sisters daughters (ages 7 & 11) as if they were her own.
My mom loves to volunteer at our church. She teaches Sunday school, drives in the motor pool and helps the custodians keep the church looking spic & span. Last weekend, she organized a “rock da block back-to-school book bag drive” giving away 300 book bags
Her birthday was just yesterday (august 26th) and has to work but she plans on having a great weekend. She drives a ford explorer and she needs new tires.
THURSDAY MORNING MOM: La’dorne Franklin-Ray was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
