After being diagnosed with liver cancer, a terminally ill single mom worried about what would happen to her son. Tricia Somers had an 8-year-old son named Wesley, so her main concern was finding someone to care for him.
Unfortunately, both of her parents died many years ago. Moreover, she didn’t believe any other family members could take on the responsibility of looking after Wesley.
Thankfully, her oncology nurse, also named Tricia, stepped up to the plate and offered to adopt Wesley. Somers felt a close connection with Tricia Seaman and knew she could trust her with her son.
While Somers realized the gravity of the situation, she intuitively felt that Tricia would agree to adopt Wesley. So, she worked up the courage to ask her right before being discharged from the hospital.
Somers and Seaman had gotten close during the ten days Somers spent at Pinnacle Health Hospital. Located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Somers underwent many diagnostic tests and a procedure to treat cancer.
After learning she was terminally ill with liver cancer, the single mom only had one thought in her mind. So, on her final day in the hospital, she presented Seaman with her last dying wish.
She asked her favorite nurse, “When I die, will you and your husband raise my son?”
Initially, Seaman didn’t know what to say to such a big request. After all, they had only met ten days earlier and didn’t know each other well. But Somers just had a gut feeling about the situation. She described the nurse as an “angel” and felt an instant bond with her.
Somers added that as soon as her cancer nurse walked into the room, she felt comforted. Seaman didn’t have to say a word for her to feel surrounded by love and support.
She called her an angel because she had never felt that way around anyone before. Somers felt like someone had covered her with a warm blanket, a sign that she was in good hands.
The Terminally Ill Mom’s Wish Came True
However, the nurse didn’t say “yes” to the request immediately. While she genuinely wanted to help, she told Somers she should take time to think it over.
Of course, the nurse felt flattered that the terminally ill mom would trust her in caring for Wesley. However, she wanted to take a diplomatic approach and ensure everyone involved would feel comfortable.
It seemed like fate that Seaman and Somers met at the hospital. Seaman and her family had recently gone through the process of becoming foster parents. They’d also been approved as adoptive parents and completed the first step in that process. So, it seems the universe was on Somers’ side after all.
After asking the nurse to adopt her son, the terminally ill mom and Wesley started visiting Seaman’s family. At first, the nurse came to Somers’ apartment to get to know the pair better.
The next step involved inviting Tricia and Wesley to Seaman’s house. She wanted to see how they would get along with her husband and four children. Besides that, it would help Wesley get acclimated to a new environment.
The first time Somers visited the Seamans’ home, Tricia made sure to ask her opinion. She wanted to know if everything looked okay and if it lived up to her standards. Thankfully, Somers couldn’t have been happier with the house and said everything seemed “perfect.”
Now, the only thing left was to get Seaman’s husband’s approval, Daniel. That evening, she sat down with him and asked how he felt about adopting Wesley. Surprisingly, he had no reservations about the idea. He told her someone needed to help the terminally ill woman, and they were in the best position to do so.
The Oncology Nurse Cared For Both Wesley And Tricia in Her Final Days
Seaman and Somers grew closer while the 45-year-old terminally ill mom underwent chemotherapy. However, the intense treatments made it difficult for Somers to walk, and eventually, she couldn’t take Wesley to school. Even walking to her car or leaving bed seemed like a monumental task for which she no longer had the energy.
When she became too weak to keep up with daily tasks, Somers entered hospice care. But Seaman couldn’t bear to watch her beloved friend spend her last days in a hospital. So she decided to bring Wesley and Tricia into her home to make her more comfortable.
She told Somers that she wasn’t just her nurse any longer – she was family. After inviting her to stay at her home, Somers broke down in tears and wholeheartedly agreed.
When Tricia arrived at the Seaman’s home, doctors believed she only had one month to live. However, with proper treatment and healing, Seaman reported that the cancer gradually improved. She even began walking without a cane and could perform basic tasks independently.
Before Tricia’s death, Seaman and her husband signed adoption papers to become Wesley’s legal guardians. That summer, they took Wesley and Somers on a family vacation with their three teenage daughters and 10-year-old son. Wesley enjoyed having siblings to hang out with, and Tricia savored every last moment with her new family.
On December 7, 2014, Tricia passed away at 45 years old. However, the oncology nurse will never forget her favorite patient. She described her as being “larger than life,” and luckily, Wesley inherited his mom’s fun personality.
Somers had such an impact on Seaman’s life that she wrote a book about her called God Gave Me You. The kind nurse said even though Tricia passed away, she would always be a part of their lives.
Final Thoughts on Nurse Who Adopted a Terminally Ill Mom’s Son
When a terminally ill mom learned she had liver cancer, she only felt worried about her son. Who would take care of 8-year-old Wesley after her death? Thankfully, she met an angel during her time in the hospital who agreed to adopt him. Tricia Seaman, a longtime oncology nurse in Pennsylvania, felt God brought the two women together for this specific reason.
Now, Wesley lives with his loving adoptive parents and four siblings and feels grateful for them every day. Wesley may have lost his biological mother, but her spirit lives on through the love of his new family.
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