“Mom, look. I made cake.” Luisa* heads to the terrace and serves sand muffins decorated with freshly picked grass and flowers. The three-year-old girl with wide blue eyes and dark brown hair lives in nature. When the chickens cackle, the brook murmurs and the leaves rustle, Luisa’s heart smiles. It was the same with her dad. “He preferred to be outside,” says Luisa’s mom.
When she and her husband moved into a house in the Freistadt district a year and a half ago, they fulfilled a small dream. The family lived in the countryside, surrounded by animals, forest and meadows. Julia and Reinhard were also able to realize themselves professionally in their new home. The speech therapist and the mental trainer had set up a joint practice there. They helped people to live a healthier life – until Reinhard’s physical complaints increased. “He didn’t feel fit in the summer, he was just tired,” says Julia. Neither of them could have guessed how serious her husband’s health was. It was only in September of the previous year that his life-threatening illness became noticeable: from one day to the next, the 46-year-old lost control of the left side of his body. He couldn’t lift an arm, he dragged a leg. The cause was determined in the hospital: Reinhard had a brain tumor. Nothing has been the same since that morning. Plans for the future seemed obliterated, only the here and now counted. “During this difficult time, I learned to live in the moment,” says Julia.
“Draw something,” interrupts little Luisa and puts a pen in her mother’s hand. Julia draws a heart on the magic board. “We should all live a lot more in the moment,” she says with a smile. For four months her husband battled the tumor in his head. During this time, the young mother was “like remote controlled”. She had to be there for her child, take care of her seriously ill husband and was also plagued by financial worries. “We had no income for months because we were self-employed and couldn’t work,” says the 35-year-old.
Last Christmas with dad
A carer supported the family, he looked after Reinhard from morning to night. “What he did was hard work. I’m so grateful to him, he put his heart into it,” says Julia. However, the 24-hour care came with high bills. The family’s savings dwindled. At the same time, hope faded. The couple had spent Christmas at their house in the Freistadt district, together with their then two-year-old daughter and close relatives. In the days that followed, Reinhard’s health continued to deteriorate. “It became clear to me that this is not possible,” says Julia.
On January 16, she hugged her husband for the last time. Reinhard fell asleep at home surrounded by his loved ones. “The fact that I was allowed to accompany him on his last journey changed me,” says his wife. “It made me lose a lot of my fear of death.” At first she felt as if she had a stamp on her forehead that said “widow and single parent”.
It was also stressful when her deceased husband was declared a “vaccine dead” in a Facebook group. Despite all this, the positive experiences outweighed the negative. Relatives, friends and acquaintances helped the young mother move to a smaller, affordable home and helped with childcare. Gradually Julia was able to breathe again – also financially. The OÖN Christkindl gave mother and daughter a new start. “It would be nice if this cohesion was lived more in our society again,” says the 35-year-old.
Although everyday life is “still turbulent”, the small family radiates confidence and joie de vivre. Luisa does somersaults, Julia can go back to work as a jaw therapist. They support each other. “My daughter showed me: It has to go on,” says the woman from the Mühlviertel, who has also processed the death of her husband in the form of a guide book. In it she incorporated Reinhard’s values and wisdom. He was a free spirit and wanted “everyone to find their enthusiasm and have the courage to live it.” An attitude that his daughter has also internalized. Especially when she makes nature her playground.
* Name changed by editors
Information about the action
Who is helped?
The Christkindl of the OÖNachrichten only helps people who live in Upper Austria and are in need through no fault of their own.
How is help?
The compatriots receive financial support. No social associations are supported, but actually people in need.
How much of my donation goes to those in need?
100 percent, because the Wimmer media company, under which the OÖ Nachrichten is published, bears all the costs – from personnel expenses to the premises.
Where can I donate?
You can transfer a donation to the Christkindl account in any bank or via e-banking. IBAN: AT94 2032 0000 0011 1790. A payment slip will also be enclosed with the OÖN issue on Saturday, November 26th.
Is the donation tax deductible?
Yes. We need your first and last name and your date of birth. This data will be forwarded to the tax office at the beginning of 2023 and automatically included in your tax file.
Who can companies and institutions contact for donations?
By email to v.gabriel@nachrichten.at. Donations of 2000 euros or more will be published nationwide with a photo. For donations of up to 1999 euros, the photos will appear in the local editions.
help in need
Accidents, bad diagnoses, sudden deaths – and then financial worries: The OÖN-Christkindl does not leave the Upper Austrians alone in such situations. Anyone who is in need through no fault of their own can apply for support up to and including Sunday, November 27th. The form is available for download at www.nachrichten.at/christkindl. In addition, the Christkindl team needs up-to-date proof of household income. Every request for help is checked thoroughly so that the donations actually reach those in need in the country.
Applications will be accepted by email (christkindl@nachrichten.at) or by post (OÖN, attn. Christkindl-Redaktion, Promenade 23, 4010 Linz) only with a signed data protection declaration.
Due to time constraints, no information can be given about the status of the application. We ask for your understanding!
Source: Nachrichten
