These were Scott Simon’s recent tweets about his 84-year-old mom, Patricia Newman, after she died. Scott is a host of National Public Radio
Scott and Patricia
Dear Patricia,
I didn’t know you, and I don’t know your son, but you were obviously a winning team. Sure, Scott’s certainly poetic and a fine Tweeter, but for a son to make those two statements about his mom, now THAT’S SOMETHING!
I saw Scott being interviewed this morning by Gayle King (she’s Oprah’s big pal) on Good Morning America. Great-looking son you’ve got there, by the way. You probably know this already, but his Tweets about you as you lay dying got so much attention, he’s now a bigger celeb than he was before. That’s got to make you feel good.
Gayle showed us your photos and you were quite a beauty. I wasn’t surprised to read that you were once a model. I also love your humor. Scott told us that you said so many “flabbergastingly insightful and funny things.” I smiled at your quote, “Look baby, I tell you all great death-bed speeches are written in advance.”
I also can’t get the image out of my mind of your son holding you “like a baby” after you cried out “Help Me.”
It’s often said that we have children, in part, so we can feel less mortal, that we’ll ‘live on’ through them. If that’s the case, you will certainly live on through Scott. Since his touching messages have gone viral, many strangers have reacted. One of his followers tweeted, “I haven’t held my mother’s hand in a long time, thank you for reminding me that time is fleeting and that I need to do that.”
My son sent me an email this morning: “I just watched the Morning Joe segment with the guy from NPR who tweeted about his mom dying and it made me think I should see you more so I don’t regret it when you are dying many years from now.
Maybe we can have dinner every other Monday.”
WOW, Patricia, you and Scott are giving other mothers all around the world great joy today.
Rest in Peace, beautiful woman (inside and out.)
Fondly,
Geri Brin
*photo source: www.npr.org
0 Responses to “Thank you, my darling son”
Jan says:
I found the article to be very honest and inline with most of our daily lives. Then you have the ones that ignore daily responsibilities and let someone else take up their slack. I have been a caregiver for my dad now for about four years and also helped take care of his wife until she passed from cancer. Life is not always pretty, fun and exciting but it must be dealt with in whatever way is necessary to keep things going. Death and sickness is just a part of our lives that we cannot get away from, if anyone can actually get out of this world alive I would like to see that! So don’t come down on someone for posting an article that is inline with about 80% of our population today. Except it for what it is because you will also deal with this maybe not this week or this year but if you except your responsibilities as a child you will go through some really difficult days! Just my opinion from caring for mom passed in’91, father in law passed in’84, mother in law passed in’94, step mother passed in ’12. It is Life!
Geri says:
Hi Kate,
I am sorry, Kate, that this story did not inspire you, as it inspired me and our other FOFriends. I am baffled, though, how you can call a son’s love for his mother “depressing.” As for my other blog on some issues associated with assisted living facilities, I was sharing valuable information I thought we should all know, to help us should we face similar circumstances. This motivation trumped the depressing nature of the subject matter.
I promise I will write something uplighting soon!
Fondly,
Geri
Nancy V. says:
What a story! How endearing and beautiful…RIP Ms. Newman, God’s blessings Scott Simon and to you Miss Geri <3
Margee says:
Well said Geri!
I found this to be an uplifting article filled with dignity and grace. Scott gave the greatest gift one can give to another. Thanks for bringing us this wonderful story of humanity at it’s best.
Cindy Ash says:
I personally think this is one of the most precious and inspiring stories out there. With all of the depressing things in the news, this story actually touched my heart and made me reflect on my time with my parents who have now gone to celebrate in heaven as well. We should all uplift one another as the seasons of our lives change. No one wants to hear about death, but it is a cold reality and if we can hear about it in the manner according to Scott – WOW – what a wonderful reflection we are all left to remember! I wish I would have known each of them which I would consider to be a GIFT! ……………… and Geri – this story makes me feel FAB! Keep them coming!
Hugs & Blessings!
Cindy
Donna Gordon says:
Geri,
I think your post was WONDERFUL! And what a swell of emotions you created telling us of all the
other Sons and Daughters that have finally come to realize our parents will not be here for long and to once again start paying more attention to them. I THANK YOU for sharing this wonderful story with us!
Kate,
I think it is you feeling LOW after all your family has been going thru. You must need a SPA day,
a good cry or even a hug! Keep looking up cause that’s where it all is!
Kate Line Snider says:
Geri, are you feeling, umm, a little LOW these days? You must be going through something.Your recent blog posts have been so depressing I find it hard to get through them. Yes, I know it’s reality. These situations are something we all have to deal with.
I lost my dad 7 years ago and my mother 14 years ago this summer. My husband’s father died last October after suffering with colon cancer for 2 years. ( He was in home hospice care and I found him).His widow is losing her memory rapidly and will soon be changing her living situation.
I recently lost an uncle. My ex lost a daughter (not mine), his mother, and is dealing with his dad who is in hospice care- all within one year. People our age have this stuff going on all the time.
Nobody wants to think about this continually,nor be faced with it in a blog I thought was supposed to make us feel good about our age.We are over 50 and we want to FEEL fab! Can you PLEASE write about something more uplifting soon?
BlueBear says:
I so do not agree with you! This was simply a cautionary tale for all of us, telling us to care for our loved ones a bit more. FOF is here for us to help one another through our aging. That doesn’t mean it is here to always be “uplifting.” And that is exactly one of the problems of aging! It isn’t pretty. It’s filled with our bodies turning on us, our loved ones and friends dying, etc. If you want a site that is always “uplifting,” then this site isn’t for you!
Terri says:
I don’t agree either….and of course you can always choose not to read.