Brandi Watson - An Angel To Many

When my daughter Brandi was born, I knew she was going to be someone amazing. I’m sure every parent thinks that about their children but it wasn’t just what I was feeling; it was also because of how strangers took to her.

At 3 years old, Brandi was diagnosed with Wilms Tumor.  We found out after her surgery that she was a stage 4, so we knew we were in for the fight of her life. Brandi never showed fear at all. When she saw other children with no hair she asked if she would lose hers too. I explained that the medicine she was going to get would cause her hair to fall out and she’d become sick at times and she said “ok.” During her treatment, she became so sick at times all I could do was cry. I had no way of protecting her from the pain and I felt helpless.  As a mother, I felt I was letting her down. But Brandi was strong and she touched the lives of the hospital staff, forming attachments with a lot of them. Many people of all types were drawn to her.

Brandi’s cancer went into remission but as quick as it went away it came back. After Brandi’s third surgery we found the cancer had spread more and there was nothing left to do except do a Bone Marrow and give her a little more time. I talked with Brandi and she said she was ready to go to Heaven, so we decided against the BM. We went to the store and bought books about Heaven and she talked with Chaplain Smith whom she had a special bond with. We were in Hawaii and began preparing to come back to the Mainlands where my family was so Brandi could spend time with her Big Mama before she passed away.

There were many tears shed when we left Hawaii because of the bond Brandi had formed with caregivers and friends. We originally left on her birthday, 1/20, and landed in Fayetteville NC on 1/20 - she was now six years old. Brandi was very sick and sad.  We gave her a small birthday party, but she was too weak to celebrate. Brandi’s weight had dropped down to 28 pounds and she was barely able to walk.  She had a feeding tube in because she couldn’t eat on her own. As sick as she was, she was able to bring laughter and joy to us all.

Once, I had come down with a severe migraine headache and I couldn’t do anything for her. I laid down beside her in the bed so I could be near her and she began rubbing my forehead as I lay there crying from the pain.  When I awoke hours later she was still there beside me, rubbing my head. I couldn’t help but cry in shame because what I was going through didn’t compare at all to what she had and was going through and she took care of me.

On 2/1/95, late at night, Brandi began hemorraging feom every part of her body blood could flow from. We had been told not to go to the hospital unless we wanted her to be revived, but we still came to be by her side.  The only way she could find comfort was to hold her arms up in the air.  When she awoke she was happy but weak.  As I looked at her, I could tell she was going to leave me. She played with her baby brother for a little while and then I picked her up and we went to sit on the couch. I held her and we made small talk. I told her if she left I’d be ok. Brandi told me she was afraid to leave me and her baby brother with her daddy (he had become abusive toward me and she witnessed it).

I told her again that we’d be ok.  She didn’t say anything at first but I knew she was worried. I said to her “Brandi we will be all right.” She asked me to promise her and I did because I felt we would. This time she said “ok”, and laid back in my lap. We sat and talked a little more and then I got up and we took her to the hospital. I called family members to come say their goodbyes. Brandi began slipping away and she started reaching toward heaven, then she started swatting as if someone was trying to grab her.  I got scared and wrapped my arms around her and whispered to her “I’m here” che became still again. I told her I’d be back because I needed to get her Big Mama here.  I went to the phone and as I was dialing the nurse came in and said “Honey, I think it’s time.” I threw the phone down and ran to the room.  As I entered I heard screaming. I went to the table and she was gone. I was told when I was in Hawaii that because Brandi loves me so much she didn’t want to die in front of me. I didn’t think it would matter but she didn’t want me to see her like that.  She wanted me to remember her alive.

Brandi was so giving of her love and was always thinking of others she loved.  Those who had the divine opportunity to meet her were blessed in some way by her. She was definitely an Angel with a purpose who had a job to fulfill and once it was done she was called home again. Because of Brandi I want to give children in foster care the same love Brandi has.