Losing a friend is indescribably difficult–it’s even more difficult when that friends is a mom and is leaving behind her kids. This is what happened to Melissa Armstrong, as her best friend Sara (who is a mom of four) is losing her battle with ALS. Instead of having Sara’s kids being split up after her death, Armstrong is doing something magical: She’s adopting three of the children (as one is now 18).
Armstrong, who is a mother of two herself (and has one grandchild), can’t imagine doing any different. The pair have been inseparable since meeting at cosmetology school 17 years ago.
She told Babble why she’s adopting them:
“I love these kids and have been in their lives from the day they were born. Sara and I have been the best of friends and I hold her on a pedestal. I know she would do the same for me.”
Since Sara is currently in hospice care, Armstrong let her know the news as soon as she could. Sara couldn’t believe it–Armstrong said she cried out of happiness:
“She just balled and was like are you kidding me and she said ‘you swear’ and I said ‘yeah.'”
This is an amazing act of kindness–and illustrates that family knows no bounds–and comes in all shapes and sizes. It’s not just kind for Sara, but allows the kids to have a secure family that they’re already familiar with. There’s nothing more selfless than loving other people–especially when it involves raising kids. But I don’t have to tell you that.
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Joanna Valente is the former Staff Writer at Kveller. Joanna is the author of Sirs & Madams, The Gods Are Dead, Xenos, and Marys of the Sea, and received an MFA at Sarah Lawrence College. You can follow @joannasaid on Twitter and @joannacvalente on Instagram.
