Young mother writes touching obituary to children
A young mother in the United States wrote an emotional obituary dedicated to her children before dying of cancer last week.
Beth O’Rouke, from Massachusetts, lost a seven-year battle with biliary cancer on April 16.
The mother-of-two left a self-written obituary that was read out at a memorial service on Tuesday.
"I fought every day to stay alive and to be with them,” she wrote. “I was a survivor.”
The 44-year-old leaves behind two children, aged eight and 11.
"Cancer does not care who it takes, who it hurts, or honor or love," Beth wrote.
"It comes into your life and starts to break the threads that hold you, and you are left to see pieces of yourself slip away and dreams fade.
But the inspirational mother said cancer had also had a positive impact on her life.
"In the end is when the most amazing thing happens," she wrote.
"Cancer loses its strength and grace appears. We need to see it. We accept it, and go with it. Grace and love win, not cancer."
Beth’s family have launched a website to raise money for her children’s education.
They have so far made more than $16, 000.
"This is a story about a love that will live forever and will never fade or waver," the site says.
"Her love is like the wind. We can't see it, but we can feel it every single day."
Morning news break – April 23/region
