Help Honor a Beautiful Legacy of Love

Hey all. My name is Lauren Saxton and I am the very blessed only child of the wonderful, Deborah Lee Saxton. I was raised without a father but, that made no difference to me whatsoever. Mom was more than any mother or father combination I could've ever asked for from God.

She was born on July 19th, 1949 to my amazing grandparents, Lloyd and Ginny Saxton. She was raised with strong morals and values, which she greatly instilled into me. Let's just say that everything that is good within and without me came directly from her.

She grew up being a fun loving, free spirited woman who wanted more out of life than the times of that era would allow from a woman. When she was in her mid 20s, she became the first female CEO of B.F. Saul. A company that ownes and operates hundreds of hotels chains.

Shortly after her career took off she got married to a DA in Corning, NY, where they planned to start a family. But, unfortunately, she had a total of five miscarriages and this ruined the both of them. A short time after her husband's death, she met a man who she wanted nothing from but only that of a baby. As she used to put it to me, with a small little giggle always added at the end was, "I only wanted his genes baby. And I got em!"

Long story short, Mom and I moved all up and down the East Coast for her career obligations.

Then, in 1997, she decided to retire and asked me where I wanted to move.

She said it was my choice this time!

My response was, "North Carolina! Because they have both mountains and beaches!"

Boy, was I excited!

We both were!

So, in July of that same year, we bought a beautiful horse farm in the quaint little town of Oak Ridge. Which is located in Northwest Guilford County.

That August, I started my first year of middle school at Northwest Guilford. And from that year until 2004 when we all graduated, I had the most memorable and most amazing times of my life. My friends were beyond amazing, the community was strong and the family we formed there over the years is one that could never be replaced nor compared by anyone or anything!

If any of you knew me in the slightest, you definitely knew "Mama Saxton"

Just remembering friends calling out her name brings tears to my eyes.

So many memories were made over so many years between us all that there's too many to even be able to keep up with or remember.

Now, to the part that has permanently broken all of our hearts.

On August 26th, she was rushed to the hospital from her nursing home for acute respiratory failure. Which, was not a surprise to me as she had been diagnosed with COPD, emphysema alsog with asthma that she had had since she was a child.

So, we all thought that they would get her O2 levels to rise, switch around some of her inhalers and breathing treatments and they would send her a packin'.

But, about a week in, a scan was done that showed extreme inflammation of her liver.

So, a course of tests were scheduled for the week after.

And at the end of that next week, I got the call the no child ever wants to receive about any parent.

It was found that cancer had metastasized throughout her entire body.

It was decided by the family that the best route was to simply keep her comfortable until she passed.

It was expressed by the doctors that she had little time but, that the time could span anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.

Less than a week later, she died in her hospital bed.

Alone.

By herself, with no family around.

Nobody to hold her hand nor tell her they loved her in her last moments.

I desperately tried to get to Connecticut to be with her but, due to my past addiction, my family wanted nothing to do with me nor her.

They were less than 10 minutes away and to my knowledge, never came to be with her once.

She had a life insurance plan which was cancelled due to non-payment.

And, she had a will but, who knows what they did with that.

One of two calls I got from her sister was to let me know she was going to die soon and to ask me what I wanted to do with her thereafter. I told her that Mom wanted to be cremated and laid to rest somewhere by her home.

Her home being Oak Ridge.

But, they refused to honor any of that because it "cost too much money and far too many efforts" on any of their parts.

And money nor effort is not a problem for any of them.

Especially when it comes to their summer homes, country clubs, golfing, lavish vacations etc etc.

To call them cruel and selfish individuals who care nothing about anyone other than themselves is an understatement.

So now, here I sit, stuck in Wilmington with not even a person to offer a hug.

I have been desperately trying to get back to Greensboro to reconnect with my son, Wesley, for the first time in six years.

Missing these last six years was 100% the fault of my own due to a horrendous heroin and fentanyl addiction. But, since December 12th, 2022, I have been in active recovery and will never go back to that way of life.

Oh, how many memories and love I have missed out on with my son and my Mother due to my own selfish wants and needs!

Itakes me cry every single day.

I would do anything, anything in this world, to go back and change the past.

But, the fact of the matter is, I can't.

I have to let it go, focus on myself and the present.

Which is not so shiny at this moment.

But, after long thought and time, I have a plan.

It's a rough plan. One that may be impossible but, if I don't try, then I'll never know.

So, here goes nothing...

I think I have set up transportation back to The Boro and found a few small house waiting on me to move in but, I just don't have all of the funds needed yet.

I also have a job ready and waiting for me to get there so I can start asap.

They call me almost everyday asking for an update on my arrival.

I would also need someone to open up their home to me for a month or so so I can organize her celebration of life while simultaneously working in order to find the cheapest and best suited place to call my new "home."

Well, I guess it would be "our" new home.

"Our" referring to me and Wes.

I know this is a lot to take in and a lot to ask of any of you. But, if any of you can help out even in the smallest way, it would be so much more than appreciated.

Also, if you can do nothing else, please share this post. I need it to travel far and wide to get this small portion of our story out.

My Mother deserved so much more than that of her family left her with and we deserve to be able to put her to rest properly.

And then to have the chance to restart the family I left off when my demonic addiction took over.

Thank you all for taking the time to read this. And thank you all for considering to lend a helping hand.

God Bless

With Love,

Deborah, Lauren and Wes