Jerrilyn B.

Kersten shares: “My mom is amazing, like so many are. She has been a caregiver since she was 20 and is now 79. She is the most truly self LESS person I know. About the time she and my dad became empty nesters, my grandfather was diagnosed with dementia and they moved he and my grandmother to our small town to be near and to be sure they were taken care of. Soon after grandpa got to be too much for my grandma and had to be moved into the nursing home, my grandma had a couple of falls so could not live alone. My parents had her move in with them and she continued to live with them for 9 years. My mom took care of her meds and meals and showers, etc. Soon after she passed, my older sister had a stroke in 2015 at the young age of 49. My parents took her into their home and have had her ever since. They moved from a small town in SW MN to WI to be closer to my family and brought her with them. My mom takes care of everything my sister needs while still being there for my 3 kids. We had a fire in our house a few years ago and again, they took our family of 5 in for almost 3 months. When life gets too busy for me as a working mom of 3, she will go to my house and fold my never- ending piles of laundry just so I don’t come home to more work. She never hesitates to help anytime I or any of my kids ask. She is always going above and beyond for everyone in her life without asking for anything. She also sponsors 2 children in other countries and makes sure they get letters regularly and gifts on Christmas. She has the true heart of a mom and I am so proud to be her daughter. She has been continually taking care of others for 59 years and I just wanted to acknowledge that, because she is a blessing to so many.”