Wow, I don't even know where to start. I ended 2020 in the worst place of my life. After losing Aaliyah Thanksgiving weekend and delivering her silent body on 12/1/20 I thought I would never recover. The truth is, in a lot of ways I haven't recovered and I don't really expect to either. On the other hand, in a lot of ways I've completely transformed who I am as a woman - as a mother.
One of my biggest fears after Aaliyah died was that nobody would remember her - nobody would say her name besides her parents and maybe a handful of friends and family. I knew I needed to take all of the mothering I was so excited to put into practice while pregnant and put it into practice in this new role I didn't ask to be in. This is how and why Aaliyah in Action is here. I needed to create an organization that could be of service and comfort to others while also allowing me to create a strong legacy for Aaliyah.
So far, Aaliyah in Action has exceeded any and all expectations I had set forth when starting this new chapter of my life. I cannot even think of a word, or words, that accurately convey the quality and abundance of connections we have made since launching in July 2021. I feel like every single day since July something INCREDIBLE for this organization has happened.
While I'm so proud of Aaliyah in Action - it's such a bittersweet feeling. At the end of the day, we're helping families that have experienced the same intense gut-wrenching pain we have - and that's heartbreaking for me as a fellow loss parent and heartbreaking for me as the leader of this organization.
Despite these feelings of grief and, admittedly, times of confusion, I need to remember why we're doing what we're doing. The goal is to comfort in those first days of grief when you could honestly care less about what happens to you because literally nothing matters anymore and life will never, ever, be the same. If we're to get through it, we somehow need to figure out how to care for ourselves. That can feel impossible and that is why Aaliyah in Action is here.
We have major goals set for 2022 - from growing our hospital network outside of the DC area, to creating more corporate and community partnerships - the goal is to reach every single family that needs us. Please share Aaliyah in Action with friends and family - supporters spreading the word will help us provide for more families.
I hope you all have a gentle and rewarding 2022 - never take anything for granted and move with kindness.
XO,
Aaliyah's Mom