My mom died when I was 8, and my mom's sister adopted me at 12. I got a second chance at being part of a family.

Sat, 06/22/2024 - 05:52

Isabella Ambrosio with her mom and dad. They are dressed up and she and her mom are holding bouquets of flowers. — Isabella Ambrosio's maternal aunt adopted her four years after her mother died.
Courtesy Isabella Ambrosio

My mom died just before I turned 8 and my maternal aunt adopted me years later.
We got off to a rough start, but I accepted her help when I saw she wasn't trying to replace my mom.
I'm so grateful for the life she gave me.

My mother died unexpectedly 10 days before my 8th birthday. She had been sick for less than a month before eventually succumbing to her illness. She was warm, bright, funny, and smart, and my time with her was unbelievably short.