Slice of Life | Two Sisters

After asking Mom about when I was born, we talked about Laureen and the stories I remember hearing over the years. Mom said I could share them here.

Laureen was born on June 7, 1965. She was beautiful. Mom noticed she had a hard time breast-feeding and her lips would turn color. They knew something wasn't right, but the doctor thought she was a mother worrying too much.

Mom and Dad lived in the little house that her grandfather built. When Dad was on the road as a song evangelist, Mom, Karrilee and Laureen would move to the farm to stay with her parents if they weren't travelling with him. They were there when Laureen had to be rushed to the hospital. Later Grampie Trites said he had a feeling Laureen wouldn't be coming home.

On August 24th, precious Laureen passed away. She was 3 months old and only weighed 11 pounds.

Mom said, "We will never forget that day. I remember being in the hospital room and looking out the window. I watched cars going by and thought, "How can the world keep moving? My baby is gone." I was thinking no one really cares, but Mom was outside in the hall crying. I wasn't thinking straight or I would have had her with me."

Dad was at Burt Camp in northern New York when he received the news. He drove all night to get home. Dad says he will always remember seeing Mom walk out to meet him in the driveway.

I have two sisters.

Laureen is in the arms of her heavenly Father.

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My parents learned that Laureen had endocardial fibroelastosis. Over the years, Dad has saved stories of children that have survived with the advances in medicine.