Contest Entry

"My Mother is my guardian Angel! No words can describe the amazing woman who was my mother. She was honest, loyal, determined, generous, and your ride or die if that’s what u need her to be. She was the strongest woman I know. I didn’t know or appreciate her until she was gone. I somehow just want to spread her love and keep her memory alive."

I know what it is like to lose a mom when you're just beginning to figure out life and raising kids. So, I reached out to Laura to get a little more information on her mom, Inez, to really honor the woman that has so influenced her.

I tell you, I was not prepared for the wonderful summary of her life that Laura sent. If you know me, you know I am a big baby...happy, sad, whatever, crying at the drop of a hat! Just sensitive to other people's feelings. So as you can imagine, I was just reading and tears were just flowing...

Don't be hard on me now! Read for yourself and see if you can keep dry eyes!

About Inez Nolan

She was born In East New York, Brooklyn. Her parents were originally from Puerto Rico. She lived in an apartment with 6 other siblings. She was #4 in the hierarchy. Her mother passed when she was only 8 years old.

Her father began a family with another woman and left her and her siblings to raise each other. He paid rent and sometimes bought food. Her oldest 3 sisters were married and out the house as soon as they could. This left my mother to raise 3 younger siblings, 2 brothers and a sister. At the age of 16, her father passed away.

When she turned 17, she met my father, got married, and started her own family. Each of her siblings did the same thing as soon as they were old enough..got married and started a family.

As long as I can remember, she always had people over to our house. She was always feeding people. She was always babysitting. She was always doing something for someone. She never complained and almost made you think this is normal, this is what she does.

When we moved to St. Louis in 1993, nothing changed except the people. Us and the other families that relocated to St. Louis kind of created our own family here. To this day, we all keep in touch and I call them Aunt and Uncle and cousins.

What made her so special was the fact that she can make you feel like you are special, you are loved, you are safe, and no matter what, this woman has my back.

She was loved so much we had to have two funerals for her. We had her actual viewing in Pennsylvania, where she lived. We had over 100 people attend. In St. Louis, we had a memorial service and over 100 people showed up to that.

All the stories I heard was how much she made them feel welcome, loved, and at home. Her house was the place for whoever needed a safe zone or maybe a bite to eat.

There were so many years she suffered financially, but no one would ever know because she still did everything she did. She made sure her family was good, then whoever else needed it, she helped them too.

When she passed (killed), we had an opportunity to face the person who killed her. My siblings and I got up and spoke and all I could tell him was, when he took her life he didn't just take one person's life, he took the lives of many. So many people were impacted by her death it just is unreal and surreal.

The world lost someone special the day we lost her.

So how you doin'? Do you have dry eyes? Anyway.. 

It is absolutely my pleasure to join Laura in honoring her Mom, Inez Nolan. Indeed the world has lost someone extremely special but she lives on in the lives she has touched.

Inez Nolan was truly a Phenomenal Woman.

This story broke my heart and lifted me up at the same time. Thank you Laura for sharing your family's story of love and kindness.

Laura's Prize

As the winner of our contest, Laura received a 30 pack of our Phenomenal Woman Inspiration Cards.

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