Late mom dreamed of being an author. 20 years after her death, her children are making it happen

Our dreams are what keep us alive — but no one can guarantee the trajectory of life and its longevity. Jill Bartholomaus, a mother of 2, who wished to become a published children’s author, had to stop short as fate had some dark events planned for her. However, her children recognized her dreams and chose to resume where she had to leave off, and their story is overwhelming. The Statesman Journal shared the touching story of Jill and her courageous kids who were exposed to distressing events at a tender age, yet chose to make the best of life.

The 46-year-old Jill Bartholomaus — who had always enjoyed writing — wished to do it professionally someday. However, as fate would have it, in 2005, her abusive, estranged husband shot and killed her, after she'd endured months of domestic violence. Later that day, he also shot himself, leaving their daughters Jessie Lake and Molly Johnson — who were then 21 and 11 — all alone. Years after the unfortunate incident, the sisters were going through their mother’s old things when they discovered 8 manuscripts of children’s stories written by her, and a few queries addressed to publishers.

After 2 decades and immense bargaining, they finally decided on getting those books published under their deceased mother’s name. It was not until 2 years ago — when Molly had her first child — that the sisters decided these books must be put out into the world. “We need our kids to be able to read these books,” Jessie — who has 4 children — told the outlet, “So, now it's this mad dash.” Due to the immense amount of time that publishing houses would take, they have decided to self-publish it and are collecting money on GoFundMe to pay an illustrator who will be charging $20,000. They have posted many photos and videos on their shared Instagram account — @bartybooks — to support the process.

“Even though something really bad happened, I feel like good things can still come,” Jessie expressed while going through the manuscripts with her sister in her home in West Salem. “And I hope that other people will know that whatever situation they might be in doesn’t necessarily mean that’s where they have to stay.” Despite their difficult childhood and their mother’s tragic death, they chose to make the best of whatever remains, to honor her by fulfilling her unmet wish.

Highlighting the psychology behind paying tribute to a deceased loved one, a study by June Tyson suggests that it can help us retain their legacy. Paying a tribute can also act as a connection of the survivor to the one they have lost, further adding value and a special memory to their life. It can also help the survivor birth hope in their heart after the tragic loss and believe that there are better days ahead, accelerating their healing process. Another study by Emily L. Mroz and others adds that memorializing deceased loved ones is not limited only to traditional methods but also to innovative ones, both publicly and personally — quite like Jill’s tribute.