Doctor Saves Little Boy’s Life during Surgery, Learns Her Own Son Died at Same Time – Story of the Day

A doctor saves a little boy's life by performing complex surgery on him, only to be met with devastating news shortly afterward. A nurse runs up to her and informs her that her only son died while she was in the OR performing the surgery.

"Dr. Owens, I—I answered your phone because it kept ringing…the detectives have summoned you to the station for identification...it appears to be an accident..." Abbie informed Emily, who didn't feel like she had the strength to stand any longer. Soon after, she was bawling her eyes out on the hospital floor, and her world came to a standstill.

At 35, Emily, a single mother, had a bright future ahead of her. She was the best surgeon at the hospital, and she had saved the life of a young kid that afternoon, causing her to burst into tears of joy after the successful operation.

But as she walked out of the OR and the nurse, Abbie, came running up to her, Emily saw something in her eyes that scared her. Before she could ask, Abbie had blurted out everything, Emily's world came crashing down around her…

Earlier that morning, Emily had promised her son, Beckham, that she'd pick him up from school.

"Don't forget, mom, that we're getting pizza tonight! Your treat for missing our movie night last time!" he had said, a bright grin on his face, a grin Emily would never see again.

"All right, all right," she had replied as she waved goodbye to him. "I'll see you soon, honey. Be a good boy, okay?"

But Emily didn't keep her promise because as she was leaving the hospital for Beckham's school, a little boy, who had fallen down a slide and suffered a severe head injury, was rushed to the hospital.

The boy's condition was critical, and he needed immediate surgery. Because of Emily's expertise, she was asked to perform the surgery on him. At that point, Emily felt terrible for having to break her promise to Beckham, but she left him a quick text, saying she was sorry. Little did she know it'd be her last text to her son…

***

"Ma'am, are you all right? Do you want some tea or coffee?" Officer Johnson asked Emily. Abbie had driven her to the station. She was not in a condition to drive on her own.

She had identified her son's body in the morgue, and the sight of his pale face was stuck in her mind.

"Dr. Owens," said Abbie gently. "Would you like me to take you home? I think you should get some rest."

When God takes something away, He always gives something in return. Sometimes that something is more precious.

"I am no longer going back to the hospital, Abbie," Emily suddenly declared, oblivious to anything else Abbie had said. "How can I continue being a doctor when I could not save my own son's life? It would never have happened if I had picked him up from school... My boy...he would never have been in that accident."

"Dr. Owens, it's not your fault. Come, let's—" Before Abbie could finish, Emily took her car keys and walked out of the station. On her way home, she couldn't help but think about her son and burst into tears.

That afternoon, Beckham was crossing the street after getting off the school bus when he was hit by a car. He'd taken the bus because Emily couldn't pick him up. The cops had arrested the car's driver, but what hurt Emily was that none of it would bring her son back to her.

She wouldn't be able to scold Beckham for leaving the wet towel on his bed or eating snacks from the pantry at 3 a.m. She wouldn't see the smile on his face when she cooked his favorite spaghetti for dinner, nor would she get the chance to watch action movies with him, which she never liked and only watched for his happiness.

"I'm sorry, honey!" Emily sobbed as she pulled into the driveway. "I'm very sorry..."

After that day, nothing was the same for Emily. She cut herself off from everything, rarely left her house, and would spend hours crying. She didn't want anything but Beckham.

One day, she visited Beckham and brought along his photo album with her. She wanted to sit next to him and talk to him for hours that day. She had been visiting him every day since his funeral, not wanting him to feel neglected.

"Hi honey," she said as she sat in front of his grave. "Are you doing well? I was wondering if you missed me too. Beckham, don't you think it's been too long since you've returned home?"

"The house…" Emily's voice began to crack. "It just doesn't feel like home anymore, honey…I - I want to be called mom. I promise I won't nag you about the wet towels or video games. Just come back, honey, please…"

"I'm sorry," a soft voice suddenly distracted Emily. "Will you be my mom?"

Shocked by the voice, Emily turned around and saw a little boy with a bouquet in his hand. A tall man was standing beside him, and Emily recognized both of them.

The boy was the one Emily had performed surgery on, and the man was his legal guardian. The little boy, Hugo, was an orphan who'd been abandoned by his parents.

When Emily heard him call her mom, something in her heart healed. For once, she felt she could embrace someone after a long time.

"I can give you a hug…it helps a lot when someone's sad," Hugo said. "I'm sorry. You lost your son because of me. A nurse at the hospital told me you saved my life, and he... died."

"Oh, honey," Emily threw open her arms around him. "It's not your fault. Don't say that. Thank you. Thank you for coming here and giving me a hug. And about that thing you said earlier…never mind."

"I can be your son," said Hugo confidentially. "You don't have to keep me at your home. But I will visit you often, bring you flowers, and spend time with you. I can also call you mom if that's okay with you."

For the first time after Beckham's death, Emily smiled. "Perfect," she said. "That would be wonderful. I would love to have your company."

Hugo's guardian gave Emily the address of the group home where Hugo was living, and Emily began visiting Hugo there often.

With time, Hugo became Beckham for Emily, and she no longer felt he wasn't there for her. Not long after, she was working as a surgeon again, and one beautiful day, she signed the papers for Hugo's adoption. Because the bond she had with Hugo was no different than what she had with her little Beckham, that bond made her a mother again and mended her broken heart.

What can we learn from this story?

• When God takes something away, He always gives something in return. Sometimes that something is more precious. God took away Hugo's parents but sent her Emily, who became his mom. Likewise, Emily gained Hugo as a son after losing Beckham in an accident.
• A child's love has the power to mend a broken heart. Hugo's affection helped Emily overcome her pain, allowing her to let go of her grief and move on.

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If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a janitor who gave his last sandwich to a lost boy, who, soon after, begged him to save his mother from a "monster."

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.