Category Archives: Birthdays

The Mary Mac Show | Happy 50th Birthday Angela

In Episode 156, LaTonya Moore, Esq. and I speak about the criminal justice system after the murder of a loved one and honor my stepdaughter who would have celebrated her 50th birthday today had she not been murdered at the age of 11.

When someone in your life is murdered, it throws you into a world that you never expected.

You start to ask yourself so many questions.

How could this have happened?

How could someone be so malicious, callous, brazen to have taken the life of someone else?

If you’ve been raised to respect others, you just can’t understand how someone could do this.

When someone you love is intentionally killed by another human being, you are left with more questions than answers.

Now we’re not talking about the weapon that was used to kill them.

It really doesn’t matter how they were killed. It matters THAT they were killed and by someone who intentionally killed them.

They had malice in their heart and for whatever reason they took someone’s life, they meant to do them harm.

And having to live with that fact, is extremely mind-blowing.

When LaTonya and I had this conversation in 2015, we delved into the murder of two individuals in her life and all she went through with their trials.

It took us 18 years to have our crime solved – the murder of Angela, my stepdaughter who was killed in 1984 and it took until 2002 just to have an arrest in the case.

Another 2 years to go to trial, 2 weeks to choose a jury, another entire calendar month of February 2004 to sit through the trial and a conviction on the last Friday afternoon of the month.

It was mentally exhausting, financially draining to fly from Florida to Long Island for the trial and the goodwill of friends who we stayed with throughout the trial.

Today Angela would have been 50 years old. All the life we missed over the last 39 years.

Unless you’ve lived through something so horrific, you really can’t comprehend the pain it brings when someone is intentionally taken from you and your family.

I’d like to think she’s resting in heaven and celebrating this day with those who love her.

Happy Birthday, Angela.

xoxo

Additional Resources:

Parents of Murdered Children – www.pomg.org

My 3 book bundle including Understanding Your Grieving Heart After a Loved One’s Death is perfect for those beginning their journey. It is available for immediate download in any part of the world.

Visit Crisis Connections at my website to telephone a trained counselor to speak with whenever you are feeling lonely, overwhelmed, confused, frightened, fearful or any host of emotions. Even if it is a suicide hotline, do not think they cannot help you. You do not need to feel suicidal to speak with these wonderful counselors. They are there to listen to you.

Use the Emotional Freedom Technique for Grief.

You can watch Marissa Peer’s “I Am Enough” meditation.

Treat yourself to a lovely gift from our Heart of Gold “I Remember” Products from The Mary Mac Store.

Remember, a portion of all proceeds help fund The Foundation for Grieving Children, Inc., the first national non-profit public charity which benefits children, teens, young adults after a loved one’s death which I established many years ago. Perhaps you’d like to give a donation in your sibling’s name.

And remember to sign up for my private email list so we can always stay in touch, since social media is no longer reliable. Receive my ebook 21 Things You Must Know About The Grieving Process for immediate download.

We’d love your support for our podcast and the work I do for grieving individuals. Buy me a coffee is an easy way to help me. Click on the purple coffee cup on this page! Thanks.

The Mary Mac Show | How to Honor Ourselves on Our Birthday

The Mary Mac Show Podcast

In Episode 63, we look at ways to help ourselves as we approach our own special day each year after we’ve experienced a loved one’s death.

When we love and miss someone so much after they’ve died or were killed, there will come a day when our birthday is upon us.

We usually wonder how we will cope when their birthday or the anniversary of their death is approaching and how we will handle those days.

But somehow we don’t consider how our own birthday will be celebrated after their gone.

We don’t think that it will be as difficult for us because now they aren’t here to celebrate with us.

We don’t think about how we will reminisce about past birthdays we had with them and the gifts they gave us.

And that we won’t be getting those gifts from them again.

So in this episode, I wanted to talk about OUR Birthdays. How they affect us, how to prepare for them and how to give ourselves the love and care we deserve when they are no longer with us.

Bless you on this special day.

Be gentle with yourself.

And do celebrate YOUR life!!

Sending you much love and hugs.

xoxo

Additional Notes:

Treat yourself to our beautiful Heart of Gold “I Remember” TeeShirt from The Mary Mac Store or give to someone grieving a loved one’s death.

The Mary Mac Store Heart of Gold "I Remember" TeeShirt

Remember, a portion of all proceeds help fund The Foundation for Grieving Children, Inc., the first national non-profit public charity which benefits children, teens, young adults after a loved one’s death which I established many years ago.

Crisis Hotlines with outstanding counselors who are standing by to listen to your pain and help you. Excellent way to release your pain today.

Arianna Opper, D.O. offers tapping videos and soothing meditations to help you. If you’d like to explore them, please go here.

And remember to sign up for my private list below, so we can always stay in touch. Since social media is no longer reliable, please complete the form below so I can connect with you via email.

Subscribe

* indicates required







The Mary Mac Show | Honoring Our Loved Ones on their Birthday and Anniversary of their Death

The Mary Mac Show Podcast

In this week’s episode we look at how we can help ourselves as we approach their birthday and the anniversary of their death each year.

In the first several years, this can be a source of dread, panic and anxiety mostly because you aren’t sure how you will handle it, what you will do, what plans you should make, if any, and what the world, your family and even yourself expects on these days.

You might be surprised to learn the thoughts in our head leading up to that day may have trumped what will really happen for you.

We have these images in our head and often the day of their birthday or anniversary is not as horrific as you made it out to be.

So be kind to yourself and listen in to Episode 44 to learn various ways you can help yourself as you approach their special days.

Leave your comments below.

Additional Notes:

Learn EFT, the Emotional Freedom Technique with Brad Yates.

Consider making a contribution in honor of your loved one to The Foundation for Grieving Children, Inc.  Your one-time or monthly recurring donation will help young ones, teens and their families learn to cope and recover from the death of a loved one early in life.

Meditation Videos to help you rest. Choose which resonate with you.

Grab my free ebook, 21 Things You Need to Know About the Grieving Process, right here on my site.

Also, I hope you will help support my podcast by using the links on the site. It would be much appreciated.

Please share with anyone you know who might benefit from this knowledge. Also subscribe to my podcast on whichever podcast platform you listened in.

xoxo