x
Breaking News
More () »

Two families unite over one life, two quilts

One woman's impact and love for others will live on for decades through two specially made quilts.

ATLANTA – Sometimes people look to photo albums or old family videos when they want to remember a loved one.

Thanks to a family friend, this Mother’s Day, a brother and sister will have something extra special to remember their mother.

In the most personal of spaces, Donna Stanley crafts a gift for two people, she’s never met.

“Quilts will last hundreds of years,” Donna said. “I’ve got a poem at the top, so I’m going to include some flowers. All of these squares have a message.”

It is a gift that could only come from her and a gift that could only go to two special siblings.

“This quilt has given me a lot of comfort,” Donna told 11Alive’s Matt Pearl.

From an 8th grade dance to state park trips, 17-year-old Alex and 15-year-old Lauren Wilson scroll with their grandmother, Judy Griner, through memories stitched in a different way. The two looked through memories compiled into scrapbooks and photo yearbooks put together by their mom, Jennifer.

“She would take pictures of stuff we did and put ‘em all in the yearbook, so it was essentially we would keep the good memories in here and let the bad memories go away, never to be remembered again,” Alex said.

Credit: WXIA

But sometimes, good and bad intertwine, like in 2012.

“This picture is me and Alex holding up a sign that says, ‘I love you Mom,’” Lauren pointed out. “This was from when my mom was first diagnosed with breast cancer.”

Jennifer became one of nearly two million women in the world diagnosed that year. So did Donna.

“When you hear about sisterhood when you hear about the journey, it is that,” Donna said. “It is a journey. And people who go through that? We connect.”

Donna and Jennifer connected through their doctor, then through texting and calling and pushing each other through. They both recovered. Then Jennifer’s returned.

“I live with regret, because nine days passed before I went to check on her, and that’s when she went into intensive care,” Donna said.

“[Jennifer is] our only daughter, and when you watch your only child go through that, it’s devastating,” Judy said. “But she never complained, ever. She didn’t want her kids to see her complain.”

This past September, at 45-years-old, Jennifer passed away.

“When it is my time, and the lord calls me home, I will run to you and embrace you,” Donna said. “’Goodbye, until we meet again.’ That was the last text message I sent, the day after she died, but I felt like I had to, I needed to.”

Donna grieved for her friend and then she thought of those grieving hardest.

“There’s not a day that goes by where I don’t want her back. Because everything I do reminds me of her,” Alex said.

Donna reached out to Judy about making both Alex and Lauren a memory quilt of their mother.

“This quilt will outlive many, many generations, and Donna was just so selfless to think of them in that way – to keep a part of their mother alive,” Judy said.

“I would do anything for her and I’m giving it to her by giving it to her kids,” Donna said.

This Mother’s Day will be the first without Jennifer. On Sunday, May 6, Donna delivered the special gifts.

From that personal space comes a gift of open arms filled with stitches and patches that bind to a mother beyond.

Before You Leave, Check This Out