Who Is the Hero in Your Family?
September 7 is my friend Amy’s birthday. She would have been turning 48 this year if an irresponsible drunk driver hadn’t taken her life in a terrible car accident almost 9 years ago (1967-2006).
I would hear people say that life is unpredictable. I didn’t really believe it until Amy’s death, and then it hit me hard.
A Story of Friendship
Amy and I grew up together in Hong Kong. We were only few years apart in age and we became close. She was like a big sister who always looked after me. Our paths took separate directions when I went to school in Canada and Amy’s family migrated to the United States. Our path didn’t cross again until many years later when I attended her sister’s wedding and Amy and I reconnected. A couple of years after that reunion, I had a job opportunity and moved to Los Angeles. Amy and her husband welcomed me into their home with open arms. They helped me set up my new life in Los Angeles, from shopping for a car to looking for an apartment. Our friendship and bonding grew even stronger. As the years passed, Amy and I shared so many wonderful and fun times together; memories that I will always keep in a special place in my heart.
A Story of Loss
When the tragedy of Amy’s unexpected death happened, her family’s world was turned upside down. The future she had dreamed of and envisioned on her wedding day was taken away from her. Her family’s pain at this sudden loss was unimaginable. There were lots of “whys.” Why her? Why this time? Why this age? But there were no answers.
Easing the Burden
While you can’t prevent tragedies from happening, one thing you can do for your family is to help protect them from the financial burden that can come with the death of a loved one. This was exactly what Amy did. She stepped up and bought sufficient life insurance to provide financial protection for her family.
Life insurance obviously can’t take away any emotional pains, but it can help families pick up the pieces and weather the financial hardship after the unfortunate happens in life.
One thing Amy’s family knew was that she loved them deeply. Amy wouldn’t have wanted to see her family going through financial hardship or not being able to fulfill the dreams that she and her husband had planned. So she took action and bought life insurance.
Be Aware
There are so many examples of people who end up regretting they didn’t have life insurance to protect their families. Don’t be one of them.
September is Life Insurance Awareness Month. The loss of my friend Amy made me aware of how unpredictable life can be and how we should take a moment to protect our families. Be the hero in your family and look into life insurance.
Amy, you are my hero! You inspired me to protect my loved ones.