Angela's Heart-rending Story


“My name is Angela McNabb.” That’s how Angela starts her heart-rending story. Tears—unwelcome—stream down my face. Angela can’t see my tears because she can’t see. I don’t cry when I listen to stories, or I try not to. But, this time, this story, with tragedy after tragedy, penetrates my being and this is the reason I must share Angela’s story with you.
Here’s Angela’s story

Confused and Scared
I had terrible headaches and I didn’t know what to do. One day, my headache was really bad. I went to the doctor and he did a physical test and said there was fluid on my optic nerve that caused the headache. He suggested I pull the fluid. I did the surgery and came home. A day after the surgery, my vision was not like it was before. I felt like something was over my eyes. Each morning I woke up, my sight was worse than the day before. One morning when I woke up, I was walking but felt I was walking through a dark cloud. I was confused and scared. I started wondering what was going on. Something was wrong. I started to cry. I was twenty-six and I knew I was blind.

His Pain Got Worse
After losing my sight, my aunt told my boyfriend, whom I lived with, that he didn’t have to stay with me and that if he wanted to, he could send me back to my home. My boyfriend said he didn’t care if I was blind and he said he would marry me. We got married in June, then I got pregnant and had a daughter in July, the following year. 

Suddenly, barely three months after my daughter was born, my husband got sick. His head was hurting really bad. His family took him to the doctor and the doctor gave him medication. But the pain got worse. His family started caring for him and gave him herbal medicine, but nothing helped. Each day, like my eyesight, his pain got worse. Then he had an epileptic seizure. Then he couldn’t walk. He became totally disabled. Just like that. Within nine days after his first headache, he died. I cried and I cried. My husband who took care of me was gone and I was blind with no job and I had my daughter that I could not see. 

I Thought I was Dreaming
Two months after my husband died, my aunt took me from my husband’s family because she did not want me to become a burden. I lived with my daughter in a little house. But if things were bad before, they would get worse. A year after my husband died, I was sleeping. Then I felt like the house was hotter than normal and I got hotter and hotter. I thought I was dreaming. But I felt like something woke me from the dream and I grabbed the baby and ran to open the door to escape. I didn’t know what direction to take. I felt like I was still dreaming because I couldn’t see. As I fled from the house with the baby in my arms, I fell into a gutter near my house. The baby was crying and I got some bruises. 


The house was on fire. It burned to the ground. Everything I owned was gone. Everything that was important in my life was slowly being taken from me. I lived with my family for a while—they helped me. A politician heard my story and built this one-room house for me. Thank God for helping me through that sad time.


I got saved [and became a Christian]. I met a guy and he said he would marry me. I was happy that he wanted me even though I was blind. Then he left. I cried and cried. I was sad and I got depressed. I had a nervous breakdown and was taken to the hospital and put on medication. But God was my best friend and He carried me through.

My Wish for Today or Tomorrow
Most of the time, I’m happy. If could move around more, maybe I wouldn’t be sad at all. I do everything. Even the white clothes I wash are so clean and white that that people say I can see. The only thing I do not do is walk on the street because I’m scared I could get hit by a car.

I hope my eyesight will return. Every morning I wake up I hope for that. My biggest wish is see my daughter’s face. I want to see her face and say, “You are pretty. You are beautiful.” If I wake up and see my daughter, I think I would fly. 
                                               ~~~~~~~~
(Angela lives in Jamaica. There is no social system there like the ones that exist in North America or in some European countries. Securing a job is difficult and securing one with impaired vision is almost hopeless. I hope you will open your hearts. I have set up a GoFundMe page for Angela and I ask that you share her story or contribute a small offering (5.00 or more) to help brighten Angela’s Christmas. My goal is to raise 500.00 so that Angela can buy some of the necessary things she needs for Christmas. 

This is the GoFundMe link to her page. And, if you know of an organization that can help Angela to regain her eyesight, please help. She has faith that a doctor can help restore her vision. Thank you.

Thank you for reading, sharing or giving.

Update
Thank you to everyone who shared this story, wrote a comment or gave a donation. We achieved our goal. Angela received the funds. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

12 comments:

  1. I cannot help financially but I will tell others about this. Thank you so much for sharing.

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  2. How sad that Angela's suffered so much in her young life. It's good a politician gave her a house though. Wishing her more good fortune to come.

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  3. such a tragic story. There are so many of us who don't get one tragic accident in our lives but everything in them has to be tragic... I always wondered why is it like that, why do some people have constant misfortune.

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  4. What a heart-wrenching story. So much misfortune for one person. I will pray for her!

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  5. Terrible everything that happened to her, but the one blessing is that she found God. Prayers for her situation and vision - miracles do happen.

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  6. Tragic story indeed, sometimes it is just one thing after another.

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  7. Hi darling, how are you today?
    HEARTBREAKING. :(
    Thank you for sharing this with us.
    Check out my new post if you're interested:
    http://its-dominica.blogspot.co.uk/
    Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

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  8. Such a heart-breaking story. At least the politician provided some measure of comfort during the sad time.
    God bless Angela and her daughter.
    Thanks for sharing the story, Peaches.

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  9. Such a sad story, overwhelming if not for the heart's strength. Sending lots of prayers and hugs!

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  10. Heartbreaking. I'm constantly amazed at what life throws at some of us...and that some of us have the audacity to complain. Life could always be worse.

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  11. I was extremely sad to read this story. She is a brave heart who faced so many difficulties in a young age. Mishaps after mishaps, one tragedy after another. This is heart breaking.

    In our country the doctor can be sued for negligence and compensation can be claimed.

    You are a wonderful person to publish this story and get some funds for her. God bless you.

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  12. While it is a sad story and she has encountered many hardships...I find her inspiring nonetheless :)

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These are our stories. Thank you for your kind comment and laugh as often as you can. Peaches D. Ledwidge, author of Day Laughs Night Cries: Fifteen