08/06/2026
Grab your coffee- We’re gonna be here a while…
For the past year I have worked day in and day out to protect the hearts and minds of those in my care as well as the little hearts that were closest to my girl.
All the while I was truly suffering and slipping deeper and deeper into a very dark place.
Unfortunately in the quiet moments it has been too easy to replay things I said or didn’t say. The things I did or didn’t do.
Analyzing the raw footage both in photographs and mentally of the hours, days, and weeks leading up to the most life altering moment in our hour glass thus far.
I sat down with Keith one night and said “I have to go to work- I have to get out of here. It’s going to kill me”.
It was a truth I had tried avoiding and could no longer outrun.
I love my children more than anything but what they were seeing and living in everyday was not a Mom full of life and light. They were seeing the person I was trying to avoid meeting a year ago.
I never wanted to turn into a Survivor.
So, I sat and applied for open positions on LinkedIn one afternoon.
I applied within my usual criteria and felt pretty accomplished.
A few hours later I received a notification from LinkedIn that a job posting that I qualified for had been posted at USA Health.
I’ve never had a medical background.
I have always been in refining or manufacturing.
But, what did I have to lose?
I applied.
A week had gone by when I received a call.
The gentleman on the phone introduced himself, described the position, and ran through the capabilities and history listed in my resume.
He got to the end and asked “is there anything not listed here that you’d like to let me know”.
Now, I know from being on the other side of the interview that a large lapse in employment can sometimes draw concern, so, I said “I would like to explain my lapse in employment for the past year over the phone now rather than in person as I’m not sure I’ll be able to say it in an interview”.
He said “absolutely- go ahead”.
I shared how my Dad had passed away in July 2024 and that my Mother- caregiver of my children- was physically exhausted and that her body was finally relenting against her after 6 months of caretaking duties for my father and I quit to stay at home with my children as she recovered. Then, I had decided to return to the workforce in June of 2025 but my daughter had unexpectedly passed and I had been spending the past year healing.
I waited for him to say “okay thanks for your time”.
Instead he responded “Mrs. Landrum, we don’t know each other but I did grow up in Satsuma- my parents still live there- and I have heard your daughters story and you don’t need to explain it at all”.
I attended the interview a week later.
I felt confident. The management was so kind. So natural.
I waited a few days and received a call “Mrs. Landrum we would like to invite you to the 2nd phase panel interview”.
I’ll admit I did feel quite nervous walking in to be interviewed by a board of 5 with each having their own list of questions.
I rolled through each participant and it came to the final who asked “can you tell us about your nonprofit?”.
I felt my heart jump into my throat. My eyes welled.
I joked “man, you with the tough questions”.
Somehow I told all of the details start to finish and by the end I believe we were all in tears.
I apologized for my emotion and one of the ladies responded “You never apologize for your feelings and emotions. We will cry with you. We don’t mind”.
On July 20th I rejoined the work force by becoming a part of USA Health.
Every day, I pull in to USA Children’s and Women’s and drive past Geri Moulton Children's Park.
There is one little statue close to the road that reminds me of Zoe Grace around 5 years old.
The girl is wearing a crown and cape-carrying an umbrella. Much like my Zoe Grace in the crown princess bicycle helmet, Alice in Wonderland dress, & cape in the video you see here.
I used to think the park was a reminder to people of what childhood looks like.
To me, it’s a thought of what heaven looks like.
All of these little people walking, running, and playing.
All completely healed.
No worries.
Just being the best versions of themselves.
I am working on healing me now.
So that I can offer my children more than a survivor.
They deserve a champion.
Someone who fights through to keep going.
I’m going to be her.
