She was only 25 years young when she left us.  My little sister’s body had finally succumbed to the trauma and abuse it had endured for years…the after effects started from the sexual abuse by a great grandfather at the age of 3.

The obvious signs of depression started to show at the age of 8 when she began cutting herself.  Like many family members who experience watching a loved one hurt themselves and try to help, she wouldn’t talk to anyone. She didn’t know how.  Retreating to her room for hours, sometime days was not unusual.  She enjoyed activities like cheerleading, dance and gymnastics but her overwhelming fear of this cruel world was much stronger.

At 14 she met a boy whom she ended up dating for years, even becoming engaged, and we thought light at the end of this dark tunnel, but not so.  The eating disorder set in, and then the alcohol abuse followed; both attempts to not feel the pain anymore.  The self-inflicted damage to her young body was beginning to take a toll. Lack of support from health care systems resulted in rehabilitation stays cut short and those close to her helplessly watching her fade away.

The 10^th day of March will forever be burned into our hearts as the day we and the world lost a precious gift, my sister Maci Jo.  My mom tried to help her that early morning when she collapsed onto the floor vomiting up blood.  Paramedics rushed her to the hospital only to find her brain no longer had activity.  It was done.  She was done.  She now belonged to a list of innocent victims who weren’t able to overcome the pain from the abuse. Such a precious life lost to something 100% preventable.

For these innocent, broken souls, there is help.  For the families of these broken souls, there is help.  The first step is finding it……………

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