LETTER: Fall River brothers honoring mother by spreading Christmas spirit they experienced as kids

This year my brother Isaiah and I decided to do something a little different in loving memory of our mom.

We were not golden spoon children. In fact I’m a project baby. Sunset Hill to be exact.

Nothing was easy growing up. Our mother worked 3 jobs to put food on the table and clothes on our backs. I remember when we moved out of the projects. We would have to boil water to heat the tub or open the oven to heat the house!

I remember waiting up until 12-1 am until my mom would get home from work because I couldn’t sleep knowing she wasn’t home safe. I remember my mom making just enough food for us to eat while she was working.

What is crazy is the way our mom carried herself. We never worried as kids because mom had it covered. Birthdays were about love and a couple of gifts. I remember watching my mom cry when Christmas came around and we would get a toy each if that. I was never mad about it because I saw what our queen had to go through just to hold it together.

I watched her work so much until she got up on her feet and opened a flower shop with my Aunt Liz. We were still struggling, but we were better than the day before.

One year we didn’t have any gifts. I remember this like it was yesterday. Two men knocked on our door. My mom asked who it was as she held a bat in her hand talking through the door asking for identification. The two men showed up with garbage bags full of toys for me and my sister (Isaiah wasn’t born yet). My mom cried and until this day we still don’t know who sent it, but know whoever you are, know that you made our world!

My brother and I are where we are today from the struggles to the blessings. Trust and believe that it was a long road seeing our mom go through what she went through and passing away from cancer at 53. It really changed our lives. This Christmas we would like to be one of those people who change a few family’s lives.

We have some gifts to give. If you or someone you know is having a hard time, please inbox me privately and we will make our way to you in loving memory of our mother Rose. We have 24 family’s at the moment that we have gifts wrapped for.

There are a lot more families in need then we think.

Joshua Mendonca