But it’s really more than that. During a year’s time she set forth to test in principle and theory what it takes to be happy. She delved into information available, scientific studies, historical recounts, listened to tips from famous and not so famous and put down in paper her daily adventures on the quest for happiness.
During that year, Gretchen, mother of two young daughters, also had the opportunity to put together a touching two-minute movie, The Years Are Short, about childhood and the special bond we can have with our children. A key ingredient to happiness.
News spread around the world like wild fire when Connie Culp, mother of two and grandmother of two, gave her first interview at the Cleveland Clinic on May 5, 2009. Connie was the recipient of the first face transplant ever performed in the U.S. and she was happy and to show off her new face.
Her “new face” didn’t just imply a new physical look, but a new chapter in a story that began a little over five years ago in Ohio, when she was just 40.
This chapter in Connie’s story begins when in a split second her life is forever changed. “There were some good times and some bad times,” she said in an interview with Diane Sawyer of Good Morning America speaking about her marriage, “and that day I knew something bad was going to happen. I never expected it to be this.” In a fit of anger, her husband had shot her with a shotgun destroying 80% of her face. Connie was left with no jaw, nose or nerve endings and with hundreds of shotgun pellets and bone splinters embedded in what was left of her face.
Two months after the shooting, Dr. Risal Djohan of the Cleveland Clinic made her a promise: “He didn’t know if he could “fix” me, but he’d try.” Over the next five years, Connie underwent 27 surgeries to rebuild her face, enduring excruciating pain. But there was something about Connie that prevailed above all: her courage, humor and positive outlook on the whole ordeal. Even when being pointed at, or dubbed as a “monster” by children, she never gave up.
Finally, on December 10, 2008 in a procedure lead by Dr. Maria Siemionow, Connie received the face of an anonymous donor—a woman of about her age and her complexion—to whom she is eternally grateful. In a 22-hour procedure, surgeons attached some of the skeleton structure, nerves, tissues and a nose to her battered face. In the Cleveland Clinic press conference, Connie recalled her first thankful words: “I’ve got me my nose!” Later in the GMA interview she remembered what it was like smelling again after five years and sneezing for the first time. “I didn’t know what part to cover, “ she recalled. Another great experience came when she was able to eat a hamburger and pizza again. So many things most of us just take for granted…
Her story is not over. She will have to undergo more surgeries to continue the restructuring of her face. In the meantime, she pledges to tell her story and campaign against domestic violence. “If he threatens you, it’s going to happen,” she commented teary-eyed to Diane Sawyer. Her husband received a 7-year prison sentence, which he is currently serving.
Connie is thankful for many things these days—especially her “extended family” in which she includes her doctors, therapists, nurses and the anonymous family of the woman with whom she shares a face. She also thanks her daughter who has been with her throughout this ordeal.
Connie is inspired by the lyrics from Tim McGraw’s song “Live Like You Were Dying: And I loved deeper , And I spoke sweeter, And I gave forgiveness I’d been denyin’” The focus of everyday worries can change in a moment and she tell us : “When someone has a disfigurement…don’t judge them, because you never know what happened.”
In this age of beauty queens and celebrities, Connie reminds us that beauty really resides within the spirit. The story of Connie Culp is one that should be read and retold.
Can one really put a value on the relentless dedication and devotion of a mother that attends to her family and household? Is it measurable? Perhaps intangibles such as love, nurture, and the pursuit of the family’s well-being may not be able to be measured accurately. But when it comes to the physical tasks that are involved in the management of a family, there is a number.
What if someone would have to be hired to do all the work a mother does? How much would that cost? Here are the astonishing figures: According to Diane Sawyer of Good Morning America, in the U.S. to replace a stay-at-home mom, be ready to pay $122,000.00 annually. To replace a mom that works from home or outside the home, take her base salary plus $76,000.00!
Mother’s Day is celebrated around the world, but not always on the same day. If you know a mother whose native language is not English, you may want to surprise her with a greeting in her own language.
Here is a list of how to say “Happy Mother’s Day” in many languages as well as when to wish mothers the happiness they deserve on their day.
Help us grow our list! Leave us a comment –above, under the title– and tell us when your country celebrates Mother’s Day, how do you say “Happy Mother’s Day” in your language, and share with the rest of us what traditions you have to celebrate this very important day in the life of a woman.
