Deon Hall-Garriques

Transcript

I'm sorry Auntie P I won't be able to accompany you to the hospital my aunt lay helplessly on the gurney as I said those words to her she motioned that it was okay yet the sadness in her eyes pierced my heart like a sharp knife those were the last words I said to my auntie P before the paramedics closed the ambulance doors I stood there for a long time after the ambulance left nine months pregnant feeling conflicted and Frozen with guilt I wanted to be there for my auntie but I needed to go to my last prenatal appointment I felt I couldn't miss it being

a first-time mom I needed to think about the health of my unborn child yet I felt like I had just let my beloved Auntie pee down the one who'd always been there for me my auntie P was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer at the age of 40 and was told she only had a few months to live I tried to be there for her as much as I could despite all our care we watched her rapidly decline a few days later after I had gently declined to go to the hospital with my aunt I was holding my newborn son in my arms when my

husband received a phone call as he listened carefully I noticed a damn look on his face he looked at me he smiled and said nothing however I could sense that something was wrong but I was too afraid to ask the next day I learned that the phone call was news of my auntie's death she had passed just 10 minutes after my son Jonathan was born Ten Years After my aunt's death I am in my living room watching TV when I hear this specific phrase we all need to find our purpose and live our truth now and one sentence resonates Above All Else if not now

when in that moment I feel overcome by emotions and I know this message was meant for me an image of my aunt Pops in my head our lives together and the last time I looked into her eyes my auntie p and I are 10 years apart we were raised together by my grandmother she had taken me under her wings and loved me and I'd always encouraged me to go further than I believed I could her lasting message to me was never to fail on my dreams yet here I was ten years later in front of my TV I had given up on my dream to

become a wellness coach I wonder how could I support other women since I hadn't been able to be there for my aunt when she needed me the most for years I lived with grief guilt and regrets for not being there for my aunt the way she'd always been for me since I had failed my aunt in her final moments I did not want to fail her again by not listening to her message we all have lost people who are significant to us they have taught and shared with us important and valuable lessons it is not fair if we continue to hold on to guilt grief

and regrets instead we should honor them and those were destined to serve with my aunt's wisdom and inspiration in my heart I rose up to my potential to be the best version of myself and stepped into my greatness I went on to become a wellness coach and have since helped thousands of women on their Journeys the time to step into your purpose is now if not now when

Transcript generated from the recording and lightly cleaned. Some names and wording may differ from the spoken speech.