A girl shared the heartwarming story of how she determined to remain by her ex-husband’s facet after he was concerned in a daunting accident.
Kristen Armstrong opened up about her household’s distinctive scenario in a number of movies posted to her TikTok account, and the way, in 2008, whereas married to her then-husband and highschool sweetheart, Brandon Smith, for 2 years, Smith was concerned in a catastrophic accident that ceaselessly altered not solely his life however hers as nicely.
She continues to take care of her ex-husband following his traumatic mind damage, alongside her new husband.
In a video posted to her account, Armstrong revealed how her husband ended up changing into her brother. She defined that she and Smith first met whereas the 2 had been in highschool and he was 15 whereas she was 16.
Picture: TikTok / @followmetothemouse
“We fell in love and it was one for the books. Stuffed with handwritten notes, inside jokes, hand-burned CDs, and all of the issues a primary love encompasses,” she recalled.
Nevertheless, their relationship and Armstrong’s life took a drastic flip in 2008, simply two years after the younger couple had been married and able to begin a household.
Smith had been concerned in a automotive accident through which he was T-boned by a business truck. On the time, Smith was 23, whereas Armstrong was 24. “He sustained a extreme traumatic mind damage and was in a coma for 2 months.”
The medical doctors warned Armstrong that her husband would by no means be the identical if he awakened from his coma, and would wish around-the-clock care as he could be in a wheelchair for the remainder of his life, unable to do basic items for himself.
“He wants assist consuming, [going to the] bathroom, dressing, transferring. He has a troublesome time speaking, and has lots of short-term reminiscence points,” Armstrong continued.
After two further years of being married to him, Armstrong made the troublesome determination to divorce him.
Following Smith’s accident, medical doctors knowledgeable Armstrong that he would by no means be capable of have youngsters of his personal. That actuality crushed her, particularly since she admitted to dreaming of someday changing into a mom and beginning a household.
“I longed for youngsters, a household, a accomplice, however I knew that I might all the time love Brandon and needed to honor my vows of caring and loving for him by way of illness and in well being,” Armstrong stated. Her determination to divorce Smith did not imply that she could be abandoning him utterly.
Picture: TikTok / @followmetothemouse
In an interview with TODAY, Armstrong shared that she had filed papers to grow to be Smith’s authorized guardian, however her selection was met with some apprehension from the choose. “She requested me, ‘What occurs when you’ve got a household of your individual? Will you continue to be capable of handle this man?’” Armstrong instructed the information outlet. “And I stated, ‘Yeah, I’m not going anyplace.’”
Armstrong had made a promise and she or he caught to it.
In 2015, she ended up remarrying her now-husband, James Armstrong. The couple have three youngsters collectively and, as a household, all of them take care of Smith as if he had been one in every of their very own.
James, particularly, is especially shut with Smith, which Armstrong identified in one other TikTok video, which makes her past joyful. “I as soon as thought I might by no means meet anyone who may love me and Brandon,” she admitted within the video.
“James has by no means expressed any or proven any jealousy. He is by no means questioned my unwavering love for Brandon or given pause to the function [Brandon] performs in our household,” she added. “As a substitute he is accepted Brandon with open arms.”
Picture: TikTok / @followmetothemouse
Now, 15 years later, Armstrong and Smith see one another as siblings, as household. Their relationship exhibits the significance of discovered household and compassion, of coming collectively by way of love, belief, and a shared expertise.
Regardless of the challenges they confronted after Smith’s life-altering accident, Armstrong’s love for him endured and remodeled right into a lifelong dedication to take care of him as her brother, even after their divorce.
“I believe the phrase ‘brother’ now higher defines our relationship,” Armstrong stated. “I’ll all the time carry his coronary heart in my coronary heart.”
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based leisure, information, and way of life author whose work delves into modern-day points and experiences.