250+ Love Letters for Leana

This August, we collected love letters for Leana— a mom who has walked through the unimaginable.

“Leana is Matthew’s mom. That is who she’s been full-time, non-stop for the past 14 years,” writes a friend. Leana adopted Matthew at birth with an initial diagnosis of Myotonic muscular dystrophy and apraxia—the first of many diagnoses. She was told when Matthew was born that there was little chance that he would live to be three. With her strong heart and stronger faith, along with her background in nursing, she provided an environment where Matthew would not only survive but thrive for fourteen years.

Since her mother’s passing in 2017, Leana had been Matthew’s sole caregiver.

On August 5th along with her beloved’s picture, Leana posted “The most beautiful, amazing boy ran into the arms of Jesus at 3:44 this afternoon.”

A friend shared that he loved music, his bear, his stories, his favorite blankets…and his mom.

Later in a post, Leana writes, “I saw him take his first breath and I held him as he took his last and that's an honor I will never take lightly. While I would give everything I have to have you with me for 5 minutes longer, I'm so grateful you are no longer in a bed, tied to machines. You are pain free. I've tried to think all day, what you might be doing in heaven. How many new friends have you made? How happy grandma was to see you. I wish I could have heard your first sentence and seen you running.”

On August 5th, Leana’s whole world broke in two. She was in need of love and support— and it came in droves.

Leana’s friend, who served as the bundle’s facilitator, shared, “My friend who is helping me with this project and I start our work day morning reading and crying (good cry)...it is such a rich experience.”

Your letters were sincere and heartfelt, a true light in a time of grief.

Friends shared that Leana’s reaction to the bundle was “amazing”—she said it was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for her.

“Thank you, MLL, for letting me bless such a special lady with such a wonderful experience. Our friend, Lisa, and I will miss crying over and sharing letters every morning before work. The heart of your letter writers is evident in every note, letter and picture.

What a blessing! As another friend said, ‘That is so stupid...why didn't I think of that first! It is the best thing I have ever heard of.’“