The Scariest Moment of My Life – By: Sarah Moore
Sarah had to write a personal narrative at school. She’s in 5th grade and came home to tell me she had written about what happened the day Catherine died. The below is published with her permission and all my love.
“Give CPR!” I heard my mom yell at 5:25 in the morning. The first thought I had was OMG this is the day, my sister is going to die. All I could hear was my mom screaming in agony. I then decided to see what was happening. When I walked out of the room, I saw my dad yank open the door really hard which scared me half to death because it was so loud. Not like I was already scared half to death! As soon as I got downstairs, I heard talking and saw like “2,000,000” people downstairs, more like 20. Straight away my mom told my dad to comfort me and hold me. We then went downstairs again to get ready to go to the hospital. I threw on some random pants with a random shirt. I then grabbed my blue ipad because my dad warned me it might be a while. My mom got into the beeping ambulance with my sister and before I knew it, they were gone.
My dad locked the icy cold door and went to the car through the garage. As I got into the car, I noticed that our navigation system was cracked and broken. I started to freak out! I was about to tell my dad but then I remembered that someone had vandalized our car a couple days ago. Meanwhile, I was sitting in the back seat with my black and silver headphones on, I was completely shaking. I was feeling nervous and anxious to know what was going on and what had happened. I felt like I couldn’t breathe and my throat felt like it was tightening. I was so scared and wanted to be with my mom, dad, and mainly my sister.
As we pulled up to the bright red emergency door, I was rushing in to find my sister. The first thing we had to do was go to the reception desk and get our check – in bracelets. When my dad told them why we were here and where we were going, I noticed something quite strange.
“My dad sure is talking camly for the situation,” I thought. After a couple minutes of walking up and down hallways, we finally found her. It was pretty obvious where she was because there were about 30 people standing around one room and one person. Beneath the crowd of people I finally found my mom. However, as soon as I came up to her, she told me to go to the empty room right beside where she was standing.
In my head I thought, “ Why can’t I be with her? Why can’t I see my sister? My best friend!” All I wanted to do was give up.
“I need to go to the bathroom,” I told my dad. But really all I wanted to do was go and see my sister. I was lucky because I could do both. I walked across the tile hallway all the way till I got to the bathroom. Before I went in, I got a sneak peak of Catherine, my sister. I saw a bunch of people standing in the room and outside of the room. I could hear pounding and talking, but I didn’t know why.
When I go back to the room, I asked my dad what the pounding was.
“I don’t know what that is actually,” he said. So, I just assumed that it was the CPR machine pressing down on Catherine’s chest. I waited, and waited, and waited for something to happen. I started to just stare into space. Then, my dad started talking. I don’t know if it was to me or someone else but………. all I was thinking about was wanting to go to sleep. I mean, it was only 6:25 in the morning and I had school today. The next thing I knew my mom walked into the room and kept talking and hugging my dad. I was eager to know what was happening so I asked her and she said that the doctors were working on Catherine and that there was hope. I then heard someone walking by the small room we were in. I had no idea who it was because all the blinds on the windows were closed and there was no way to open them from my point of view. Then, a women with blond hair and blue eyes came into our room. She was wearing a blue nurses outfit and pitch black shoes.
“Mommy, who is that?” I asked.
“It’s my friend. She’s a doctor,” she replied.
“I’m so sorry,” her friend, the doctor, said. I instantly knew what happened. She’s gone.
My heart is breaking. Sarah did a wonderful job writing this. Please hug and kiss her for me.
Such heartfelt and impressive writing for a 10 yr old. She must take after her mother.
Tears welling. Seeing this devastating moment from a mature-beyond-her-years child’s eyes is poignant and profound. Thank you both for your courage to share.
Sarah! Your writing is so so good just like your mom! I could definitely picture that morning in my head as I read. Your descriptions were excellent – the bright red door of the ambulance, the black shoes and blue eye of the doctor- all of it really helped me envision your experience. I so so wish that your story had a better ending! You were such a wonderful sister and best friend to Catherine. You were both lucky to be in each other’s lives. She will always be with you -present in everything you do and part of who you are. ❤️
Sarah is an amazing person just like her mom and sister. Oh and I’m sure her dad had something to do with it! 🙂
She’s brave to share her story.
Sarah! Your writing is so so good just like your mom! I could definitely picture that morning in my head as I read. Your descriptions were excellent – the bright red door of the ambulance, the black shoes and blue eye of the doctor- all of it really helped me envision your experience. I so so wish that your story had a better ending! You were such a wonderful sister and best friend to Catherine. You were both lucky to be in each other’s lives. She will always be with you -present in everything you do and part of who you are. ❤️
Beautiful writing dear Sarah. I can only imagine how that scary morning was for (all of )you. Catherine will always be watching over you even though we miss her like crazy. You 2 have been blessed with each others love and strength.
Love you .
Sarah I knew your mom in high school. Thank you you for sharing. Not only is this piece extremely well-written, it helped me understand what my old friend is going through and that she has become the amazing woman, mom, and wife as we all suspected she would. I know that you miss your sister.
Hey John! Great to hear from you. I will pass these comments along to Sarah and tell her SOME stories 🙂
Sarah –
You and your family mean so very much to me. I think of you guys always (and LITERALLY blow kisses whenever I pass your house). You guys are most definitely the strongest people I have ever known.
Thank you for allowing your mom to share your beautiful narrative with all of us. You are wildly brave and clearly have the best traits from both of your loving parents. Anyone that knows you has been blessed. I thank God that you have come into my family’s life. I really enjoy watching you grow up. Keep being amazing! God has so many beautiful plans for you. ????????????
Sarah, you are a wonderful writer, and brave to share your story. Peace to you, your parents, and your sister in Heaven.
Dear Sarah,
Thank you for sharing your beautifully written narrative. From what I’ve heard from your mother, you and your sister shared a very special bond and words simply cannot express how sorry I am for your family’s and your personal loss. I have a 5th-grade son going to school in Howard County as well and over the Christmas, we watched the new “Mary Poppins Returns” movie together. I’m not sure if you’ve seen it but there is a song that my son, Jacob, finds comforting when he thinks of loss. I’m sharing it here in hopes that it’ll help you find some comfort as it had for him.
“So when you need her touch
And loving gaze
Gone but not forgotten
Is the perfect phrase
Smiling from a star
That she makes glow
Trust she’s always there
Watching as you grow
Find her in the place
Where the lost things go.”
Dear Ellen,
I admit that I came back to the site a couple of times wanting to share my support but I struggled to find the right words. Sarah’s writing is inspiring and I hope she is able to find peace and strength through this tragedy.
Thank you for sharing something so is so personal and probably still so raw. I can’t imagine the challenges you’ve faced down over the years but I admired your incredible strengths and know that you will turn your incredible loss into something even greater and more powerful.
With deepest sympathy,
-Tim