Don't Stop Searching

by Kay Heitsch

If you can't stop thinking about something, don't stop searching.

Yesterday I found out something I have been thinking about for many years. I can't say I thought about this every day, but I have thought about it off and on since I was a child.

Most people think of me as an only child. I was raised as an only child; however, I was not the only child my parents had. My mom gave birth to my brother 12 years before me.

My dad only mentioned my brother once. My mom mentioned him maybe 3 times that I can remember. I knew he was born prematurely, but that was all I knew. I often wondered when he was actually born. I've tried to find out information from my family, but no one knew anything. Some didn't even know he ever existed.

Yesterday I got a hold of Jim, my second cousin who does genealogy. I asked him if he knew anything as he had spent a lot of time with my dad. He didn't, but he started to look into records on the internet.

Lo and behold, Jim found information about my brother. He discovered that he was born on April 1st and died on April 2nd.

I'm happy I didn't give up my search to find out about my brother. Hearing the information had me in tears for some odd reason.

In the Spring, I'd like to put a little marker on his grave. He may not have lived long, but his little sister has never forgotten him.