Hazel

Hazel, a breast cancer survivor, would tell her daughter Daphne, “My prayer is that God keeps me around long enough for me to make sure you can take care of yourself.”  Hazel was blessed to not only see her prayer answered but also to know the grace of Daphne choosing to care for her in return.

Married for sixty-four years, Hazel was a loving and God-fearing woman. She loved to be in her church, and she loved to travel. Every summer, Hazel and her husband would take Daphne on road trips to experience the United States and its historic places with some of their favorite trips being to Reading, Pennsylvania, Yellowstone, and California.  When Daphne grew up, she was excited to be able to take her mother on her first cruise. For Hazel and her husband, their very favorite road trips were the ones that took them home to Nacogdoches, and the pleasure of the togetherness and the joy of the open road were themselves a delight.

As much as she loved to travel, Hazel’s favorite place to be was surrounded by her family—her children and her grandchildren. When her grandchildren were born, she cared for them along with her “bonus children”, the babies of good friends she provided childcare for in the loving warmth of her own home.

Near the end of her life, caring for Hazel meant finding the best full-time care. Hazel’s surviving spouse benefits helped Daphne cover the cost for her mother’s care, but when the benefit unexpectedly stopped, Daphne, who is raising her own family and was already putting money toward the cost of care, didn’t know how she would make up the difference. That is when Project 4031 entered the family’s story by paying the monthly difference normally covered by her benefits for housing and care. Daphne told us, “While I was fighting through the VA appeal process and traveling back and forth to see my mom, Project 4031 stepped in. I am so thankful and grateful for the help and comfort they provided to me and my family during our time of need.”

Daphne remembers her mother in these words: “When I think of strong women I think of you. The sacrifices you made as a mother were incredible and our family is strong because it’s tightly centered by your love. I am the woman I am today because of you!” A strong, beautiful, educated, wife, mother and daughter—how honored we are to be a part of her story!