There are angels among us

Tricia Somers, 45, was diagnosed with a serious illness last year. In March, she found out it was terminal. The single mother's biggest concern was her son Wesley, and who would take care of him after she died.

"He's the only thing I got and I have to leave him," she said. "It's really hard, and I feel bad that I am doing that to him but he says, 'Mommy it is not your fault.' "

Somers' options were limited. Her parents passed away years ago; her brother told her he didn't see a child in his life, and her ex-husband has not been a constant in Wesley's life.

She was devastated until a nurse, also named Tricia, walked into her room at Pinnacle Health's Community General Campus in Harrisburg.

"She seemed like an angel. She came in and I just felt this overwhelming comfort, like a warm blanket around me," Somers said. "It was strange. I never had that feeling before and I thought she is going to take care of me. She is the one."

Tricia Seaman has been a registered nurse at PinnacleHealth's Community General campus for 14 years and works in the oncology area.

It was late one night when Seaman walked into the room at the hospital to say good night to Somers that she got the shock of her life. They'd only known each other two weeks, but Somers blurted out, "'If I die can you take my son?' I figured she thinks I am crazy, but I knew it's what I had to do," Somers said.

Seaman told Somers she'd take the request back to her family. Somers didn't know the Seaman family was already trying to adopt a son. They just didn't expect it to happen this way.

"Sometimes God has a plan for our lives," Seaman said. "Sometimes we think we know what that plan is, but we really don't."

Although Seaman's husband was shocked by the request, he was open to the idea of helping a woman he never met.

"In 20 years I've never had occasion not to trust my wife's heart," Dan Seaman said. "When she called I said, 'We've got to figure out a way to make this happen.' "

After much thought, the family decided they would take care of Wesley when his mother passed, but that's not all.  They also invited both Somers and Wesley to move in with them.  Otherwise, Somers would spend her final days in a nursing home, apart from her son. 

"They wanted us to be together, and to go through the journey with me," Somers said.

The two families have become one, and are building memories together.

"It is a privilege to be able to walk with her on this journey," Tricia Seaman said. "We're going to be able to utilize this as we raise Wesley. His past is not a mystery to us. We've learned the traditions that are special to them and can still do things that mean a lot to him."

As for Wesley, the once "only child" now has three sisters and a brother. "I didn't have anybody until now except Mommy," he said. "I'm happy to have a brother!" His new sisters all welcomed Somers as a second Mom.

"I'm just hanging in there and holding on," Somers said. "I'm at peace. I know Wesley will be taken care of. I just hope I can be here as long as I can be here."

To donate to the Seaman-Somers Family Fund please send a check to the First National Bank of Mifflintown: Delaware Office,  24021 Rt. 333,  Thompsontown, Pa. 17094