December 22, 2006

Christmas Supplement

Mother of 13 children copes with her husband’s death at Christmas

By Martha Welch Mendez

Special to The Criterion

This is not my story but my mother’s. It was December 23, and a busy day for a 40-year-old stay-at-home mother of 12 children with one child sick in bed with scarlet fever.

At dinner, her husband talked about feeling as though he was getting the flu. He went upstairs after eating and the next sound she heard was a loud thud.

She called out to the older children to watch the young ones, call the fire department and go to the end of the driveway to direct them to the house.

Unfortunately, her husband didn’t survive the heart attack.

Santa and the opening of gifts still proceeded as planned on Christmas Eve. The little children couldn’t understand what had happened, and their mother felt it best to keep things as normal as possible.

His funeral took place after Christmas.

My mother was tremendous. She was able to see all 13 of us—including the son she was pregnant with—through Catholic high school.

We just celebrated Mom’s 82nd birthday with her at the nursing home where she lives.

I just wanted to say a heartfelt thank you to Mom from all us kids for the love and support we have had through the years.

(Martha Welch Mendez is a member of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Indianapolis.) †

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