From Kylie’s Mom:

Saturday, January 13th started like a normal Saturday for us except my husband was away in Delaware for a swim meet. My husband, Kyle only travels a few weekends during the year without us. He wears so many hats but being the best dad is top of the list. He is also an amazing coach, teacher, person, and finally a husband. So even though he was away we kept our routine… Kylie, Lucas, and I were looking to do something to create memories and have fun.

I’m going to unveil our whole day with details, now that I have had days to write, rewrite, edit, and rewrite again. It doesn’t seem perfect, but I don’t think it ever will.

On Saturdays the fam always enjoys making eggs together. Ky and Lucas love to crack them, stir them, and stay back as I mix them in the pan saying, “Hot hot”. On this particular Saturday, Kylie had such a great appetite and Lukey was more into yogurt. We love our doggy Benny- a nice goldendoodle yet really big 85lbs and I wanted to get him out for some fresh air. It wasn’t too cold, so we got our winter jackets on, hats, and loaded Ben Ben into the trunk. He was so excited to hear we were headed to the beach for him to run around and play. The last block of Belmar/Spring Lake has an off leash dog park that we frequent often with Ky and Lukey, playing and running alongside him. The beach had a different set up with dunes for the winter so we did some one block laps. The kids always have so much fun when we are there. We always line up on the boardwalk saying “1,2,3 run”. The babies would then take off swinging their arms and little legs as fast as they could. This happened over 10 times and as this was all happening by-passers commented, “Look at them go”, “So fast”, “Great counting”, or the one I always hear, “You got your hands full''.

Afterwards, we FaceTimed daddy and he was so happy. Shortly after we went home they had some lunch and a little nap. I remember messaging my friends, “Guys I got both babies napping what should i do? Shower? Workout? Nap?” I decided to squeeze them all in.

Shortly after Kylie woke back up. Then my sister arrived at our house. My sister was close to being like a second mommy to them especially after they lost their Gigi (my mom to a freak brain injury March 1st). Val Anne, my sister, known as BAE by the babies (also their godmother), would babysit them two days a week. Whenever she came over we knew we could anticipate coming home to some random paintings or extra things that maybe we didn’t really want around the house but we knew the kids loved doing them with her. She truly is an amazing aunt, godmother to both babies and more than just a sister who is involved in this car accident.

I invited her over with plans to go to my dad’s house to finally see him and celebrate his birthday late and we were only going there for a short time because we had free tickets to Disney on Ice! We were so excited to go see Disney on Ice even though Kyle, my husband, was not going to be there. Last year Kyle and I were able to take Kylie and Lucas to see Disney on Ice when my mother was able to get us tickets and worked at Prudential.

Because of this I knew that it was already going to be a challenging time to go but I knew how much Kylie and Lukey danced and loved it last year and this year it would be even better because they were a year older. I had asked one of my family members to get us some tickets through her job and luckily she was able to get us four.

The kids loved picking out their outfits so it was time! They picked out such cute outfits. Kylie wanted to wear her red winter jacket, ear, her purse, all the girly things and Lucas wasn’t too picky.

I packed some snacks and diapers for Lucas and we loaded into the car. Everyone was buckled in and the kids started asking Bae to go sit in the back between their seats. I was quickly trying to change the topic and said let’s play bae the song we’ve been loving this week. I had introduced the old school song Lollipop by the Chordettes that’s in Stand by Me. This is a song my dad played for us on repeat and I thought how funny it is that now my kids finally love this song too.

So we got into the car, put it on Spotify, and started our journey. From this point on I do not remember anything currently except waking up in the hospital trying to get the tubes out of my mouth.

The actual accident I don’t remember, but I’m told that I was awake at the scene. I am told I kept asking, “What happened” Where am I?” “Where are my babies, where are they” I want nothing more than my baby back.

I want nothing more than to be making eggs and dancing around the island with her and Lucas. I love her and I just wish I could see her. I don’t know how someone is supposed to bury their own child holding so many close memories to their heart and thinking of all the ones that they wanted to create.

That was all I ever wanted to do; was to create these memories moments in time to have fun. I would drive myself crazy just to give Kylie and Lucas these memories. Everyone would say they aren’t going to remember them and ask why am I doing so much. What I would say to them is that my reason for doing everything is because I will remember these memories and I’m so thankful that I drove myself crazy to do so.

I’m going to find the strength deep down inside to continue to do everything that I can for my son because he does not deserve any of this. I don’t know how I’m going to find normalcy for him because I will be bedridden for weeks with more surgeries, but I will always find a way. Thank you.