92-yr-old great-great-grandmother was told she only had 3 weeks left—then her wish to meet her namesake changed everything
Finding a reason to live is a game-changer. There are a hundred factors reminding us that we’re running out of time, age being one of them and health being another. Yet, if we’re determined enough to accomplish that one milestone, whatever it may be, it can work wonders. A 92-year-old woman named Jean Roper was told she had only three weeks to live due to health complications, Love What Matters revealed. Her great-granddaughter, Kayla Tracy (@kaylatracyphotography), noted that when the elderly woman learned that she was going to have a great-great-granddaughter, it became her life’s mission to hang on till she saw her.
Sharing the story of her resilient great grandparents, Tracy noted that they both lived the best, hard-working and most diligent lives. The great grandpa, who served in WWII, had one life motto — “Work every day or you’ll be short one.” Even at his advanced age, he lived by it via looking after his 85-acre land and working with a log slitter. Roper, too, cherished the life that came through hard work and determination. However, things took a bleak turn when she learned she didn’t have time left. The doctors informed her that her vitals weren’t great and that she was showing signs of renal failure.
The medical professionals gave her three weeks to live and the family was devastated. “We prayed harder than we ever have before,” Tracy remarked. The woman’s sister, who was also pregnant at the time, decided to look after Roper. “She cared for our great-grandmother as long as she could before she went into labor at 36 weeks,” Tracy mentioned. During that time, the 92-year-old found a rekindled purpose: she wanted to see the baby. “I just want to live long enough to see that baby girl,” she’d tell the mom-to-be. When you have a wish backed by purpose, love and support from all those around, a miracle is not far away. She waited and stuck around for the day her namesake was born.
Magnolia Jean came into the world and Roper was beyond delighted to witness the moment. When she received the news, something “flipped” inside of her. Somehow, a newfound strength and light transformed her. “She was getting up on her own, fixing her and my great-grandfather's breakfast, even doing chores around the house,” Tracy recalled. Roper couldn’t wait to meet the little baby girl. That one wish worked a miracle for her life. She met baby Magnolia and it was a priceless moment. Tracy captured the magical experience and shared it in a post with the caption, “Live for the moments you can’t put into words.”
@petra_vk wrote, “This picture is awesome. You can see the power in it.” @vincentriga added, “Lucky you to witness such a moment.” Tracy also revealed that Roper outlived the doctor’s given timeline and celebrated 75 years of love with her husband nine weeks later. Sharing glimpses of the couple, she is beyond grateful for how far they’d come. From three weeks, Roper empowered herself to make it to yet another year, celebrating her 76th wedding anniversary too, another post revealed. This strength, evoked from love and support of different kinds, is true love at its best.
You can follow Kayla Tracy (@kaylatracyphotographer) on Instagram for more content on photography, weddings, parenting and more.