Five years after losing our 11-year-old son, Robert, my husband and I still hadn’t touched the college fund our family had created for him. It was simply too painful.
At my husband’s birthday dinner, my sister-in-law, Amber, shocked everyone by suggesting we give the money to her son, saying it was pointless to keep it for a child who would never use it.
Before we could respond, my father-in-law firmly reminded her that the fund was a gift for Robert and that no one had the right to decide what we should do with something so deeply connected to our son’s memory.
Later that night, my husband and I realized we had been holding onto the money because we feared letting it go would mean letting go of Robert.
Instead, we chose to create a scholarship in Robert’s name, turning his college fund into an opportunity for another child to pursue their dreams. In doing so, we found comfort, purpose, and a new way to honor the son we will always love.