My family from left, brother Ben McBride, mother Brittany Jane Cormier, sister Chelsie Bourque and me – Andy McBride. Courtesy photo

By Andy McBride
Student Reporter
Los Alamos Daily Post

My birth mother, Brittany Jane Cormier, passed away on Jan. 13, 2021. She had three kids, one girl and two boys. My mother and her best friend Hope Nettelton saved my sister, Chelsie Bourque from a botched murder. My mom was shot in the head after pretending to be her daughter (one of the targets). Although she was out of my life for most of it, she was still my mother.

I had my time of grieving and still to this day I do wish she didn’t die. At the end of her life she had a seriously heroic moment … she died to protect her daughter and that is what a mother is meant to do, to protect her children no matter what.

Her actions have affected my life profoundly; I devote my days to trying to help other people instead of myself now because of her.

My mother showed me multiple lessons within the little time I spent with her. She showed me that this world is not big enough to be selfish, but it is big enough for many poor things to happen; she taught me to love everything that comes into your life even if it isn’t what you expect. So I understand that often nothing is what you want so when it is, be grateful.

The people who killed her, I will never understand why they would do such a horrible thing to someone they didn’t even know. To be honest, I don’t even want to understand, but life goes on; you have to forgive and forget … or however that goes.

I was told to write a prompt about something that someone has done for me that I am grateful for. Other people may have expected help with my chores or receiving money. But, I learned to love things while they are in your life because you never know when they will be gone, and trust me you will miss them. And that is how I look at being grateful, it was a surprise when my mother passed away, but it will always be a lesson learned.