Every week, Linda Bremner sends a thousand letters to children she doesn’t even know. Some parents might not like their children getting letters from a stranger. But not these moms and dads. They write back to thank her- and so do the parents. Linda’s letters give their kids hope, keep them alive a little longer, or just brighten their days when they see the postal carrier coming up the walk with the day’s mail.
That’s how it started-with the daily mail. In November 1980, Linda’s eight-year-old son, Andy, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. After he returned home from his first hospital stay, he was welcomed with dozens of cards and letters from friends and relatives. “No matter how bad he felt before the mailman arrived,” Linda remembered, “he always felt better afterward.”
Inevitably, however, the flood of cards and letters tapered off. So did Andy’s cheerful spirit. Concerned, Linda mailed him a note she wrote herself and signed it “Your secret pal.” Andy perked up. After that, Linda never let a day go by without putting another cheerful message in the mail for her little boy.
After sending Andy letters for nearly a month, Linda found him one day drawing a picture of two unicorns. It was for his “secret pal,” he said. After putting Andy to bed that night, Linda picked up the drawing. At the bottom, he had written “P.S. Mom, I love you.”
He had known all along who was sending him the letters! But that didn’t matter-what mattered was that they made him happy and lifted his spirits. Andy’s precious life ended less than four years later; he died on August 31, 1984.
“Although I had two other wonderful children,” Linda remembered, “the grief and pain of losing Andy was unbearable. I felt my life was over because his was over.” Sorting through her son’s belongings, she found a shoebox in his closet. Inside the box was his address book listing all the friends he’d made at a “cancer camp” not long before he died. The address book gave Linda the idea that Andy would have liked her to be a “secret pal” to his sick friends the way she’d been to him.”
“She decided to send one card to each child in Andy’s book. Before she’d gotten through the list, one twelve-year-old boy wrote to thank her. In his letter he told her, “I didn’t think any one knew I was alive.” Those words made Linda realize someone else was hurting besides herself. She cried bitterly, not for herself or for Andy this time, but for the lonely, scared child who needed to know someone cared.
Just after responding to that boy’s letter, she received a similar note from another child on Andy’s list. That was it. She had found her calling, a purpose that gave passion and meaning to her life. She vowed then to write to any child who needed her until they stopped writing her back.
Her cards and letters were brief, positive, and always personalized. The children responded continually and their parents did too, each thanking her for renewing life in their child. Linda got friends and neighbors to help with her mission, and an organization of fetter writers began to form. They named their new group Love Letters, Inc.
Together, Linda and her small band of volunteers worked tirelessly to help children beat the odds. Yet love letters soon discovered a myriad of challenges they were forced to overcome. The demand for their services was great and yet their resources were small. No mailing was complete without concern for where the money for postage or production work would come from. Working out of a temporary, donated space, the group survived from week to week on donations of stamps, money, and office supplies from the community and groups like the Rotary Club and Junior Chamber of Commerce.
Love Letters applied to more than forty corporations for grants and donations. Every application was turned down. Yet Love Letters never missed a mailing. The children meant too much to Linda and her thirty-five volunteers. Somehow people always came through-with a hake sale, a T-shirt sale, or just by reaching into their pockets.”
Today, over ten years after Linda wrote her first letter to a child she’d never met, Love Letters, Inc., sends out more than 60,000 pieces of mail a year. The group’s resources are still inadequate, but their resolve abounds. Thirty-five volunteers collectively contribute 400 hours for each weekly mailing. In addition to sending letters to 1,100 kids every week, it sends an additional 90 to 110 birthday gifts each month. For children going through a particularly difficult period, Love Letters makes sure something arrives in the mail every single day. Every year, Love Letters loses some 200 children who have gotten better or passed away. Sadly, Love Letters always has new names to add to its mailing list.
Linda personally puts in seventy to eighty hours a week to keep Love Letters going. When weariness threatens to overcome her, the telephone rings-it’s another child or parent calling to say how important the program is.
“It rejuvenates me,” she said, “because I have experienced firsthand the power of a love letter in healing the soul.”
As much as she gives, Linda Bremner receives more in return: a reason for living, a vehicle for loving, a sense of purpose.
“I’m doing what I am doing for the rest of my life because it’s so important. I’ve seen a child cry and I’ve seen a child smile. I like the smiles, and it’s really important to me to know that I helped make one.” -Linda Bremner”
Excerpted/Adapted from Unstoppable
Copyright Ó 1998 by Cynthia Kersey
www.unstoppable.net
It was so touching. I read the story with tears in my eyes. I understand how one terminally ill person must be feeling. For him getting a love letter/card full of feelings of affection and compassion must be doing wonders…….. Hats off to you!
Dear Laura
This morning I recorded a show called things we do for love”love letters” in which your mom told a story about your brother Andy and his life and how she started love letters, when I found out that Andy died at such a young age (12) is this right? He died on 8/31/184. My oldest daughter Alexandra was born on April 17,1984 she is now 27. When she was at a catholic school in second grade she had a little friend Jennifer 8 who had leukemia, the medication she was taking made her sick and she was getting over weight because of the medication. She (my daughter Alexandra) her older brother Chris made sure no one picked on her. One day some kids started to pick on her on the bus and they grabbed her books and her glasses which were like bottle top glasses and threw them in the back of the bus, my son was in the 4th grade grabbed them and her books and made her sit in his seat so no one would pick on her again. My son son helped her down the stairs and carried her books. My kids went to the principle which happens to be a priest and told them what happened. The priest told every one at church what’s happening to Jennifer and no one should pick on her or no one else or they can be punished by no being able to come to school for a week and to write a letter to say they are sorry. My kids told the priest who the kids were and the priest called on the kids that were picking on her in front of everyone in mass .they had to write to her and tell her that she was sorry they also had to carry her looks for a week. They also had to do study hall for 1 week, no playground. The priest called on Alexandra,christopher, Matt and nick ( chris’ 2 best friends till this day. They were friend since kindergarden. Chris is now 28 he will be 29 on Friday July 15 he is married with 5 kids. Matt is 30 and nick 28 he will be 29 on aug 6. Alex is now 27. She has a boyfriend but not married. The sad news is that alexandra’s friend was 8 Alex turned 8 in April 1992 she had her 1st communion Jennifer was there too in her white dress and her glasses they had there pictures taken outside she was standing in the front row. Three months on July 29th 1992 which happened to be jennifer’s 9 birthday passed away in her sleep. Her family told me that Jennifer said that my daughter Alex has a beautiful voice and they wanted her to sing at mass and she did with many tears running down her eyes. All her classmates came down to sing too and my son Chris, Matt and nick too and some if my son’s friends too. Chris held her hand and Matt held her other hand. It was so moving, I cried so hard, like I am doing right now remebering everything. 6 months later matt’s little brother Ryan 7 was killed in the bus he was on (school bus) ran him over jan 16,1993. My daughter Alex 8 1/2, Chris 11, Matt 11 and nick 11 saw the whole thing. Alex and Chris asked me why do we have to loose 2 good people that we love? I just could not answer them. We went to little ryan’s funeral Alex sang again ryan’s favorite song and Matt,nick and Chris and all of matt’s classmates carried his casket. Ryan’s friends were in front of the casket in there boy scout uniform. Ryan was also was in his uniform. Matt and Ryan had 2 older brothers Chris and Damien and a baby sister Kaylynn at that time she was 8 months now she is 19 graduateed h s and going to southeast community college. Diane, Matt and ryan’s mom lived next door to my mom and Diane works at the same elementary school my son Geoffrey 7 who has intermediate to severe with high functioning autism. She works with kids with disabilities and Diane and her husband John are the godparents my son chris and his wife crystal’s 5 kids. When I saw the show and I saw Andy in the picture he was beautiful little boy. It just reminded me of Jennifer (alexandra’s fried) may he rest in peace. When I just read when u wrote that your mother passed away on march 2nd 2006. How old was she ? And what did she die of?
May she rest in peace too, now they are together with god and now they are not in pain. I just hope love letters still is continuing.
May god bless u and your family your mom will never be forgotten and she will be remembered for many years to come and by many people that loved her.
How is that young girl Phoebe Velazquez that received letters from your mom and she gave her a book of love letters and 2 big boxes of toys. She is a wonderful and courages little girl. She had a tumor in the back of her head at the age of 6. Her mom’s name is Deborah Velazquez.
Where did your mom live with andy I saw the address 1005 —-no steet was it in Lombard il
God bless Laura to u and your family, please continue with the love letters in the memory of your wonderful mom and courages little brother Andy which I will say my prayers tonight with my son Geoffrey.
When was andy’s birthday. Geoffrey’s b day is nov 22, 2003 he is almost 8 and he will be In the 2nd grade on aug 16, 2011. When he was I. 1st grade he was reading at a 2nd grade reading level.
When was your mom’s b day? How old was she and what did she die of?
Sorry
Jennifer schrader
1105 south 14th street
Lincoln Nebraska 68502
(402) 601-1893 cell
(402) 261-8686
In an age where news is all about the disasters and war around the world, yet stories like this ensuring a life line of friendship to children (and parents alike) is not so highly known.
a random search – and I discovered your site, thank you for your continued good works. I will be sharing this with my friends so we too can befriend children. Arohanui Seema
Wonderful Keep it up guys God Bless u all
Dear Laura,
What an honor to have you come to this site and leave a comment. Your mother was amazingly compassionate and caring. I often talk about her compassion to friends. It’s a story that’s worth talking about and sharing. Hope there is a way to keep her commitment and hope for the children continue. Please let me know if there is anything we (including my readers) can help. Also when your book is published, please let me know so that I can leave a link to your book in this site.
Good luck with the book and thank you for leaving your comment. I highly appreciated it.
Annie
Hi my name is Laura trump and i am Linda Bremners daughter, I just came across this posting and wish to thank you so much. my mother said that she was doing love letters for the rest of her life, sadly that was true she passed away march 2nd 2006 it was very difficult to lose her not just for myself but for the children, as per my mothers request love letters closed its doors but thanks to wonderful people like you she and her legacy will never be forgotten. i welcome any feedback from anyone that wants to know more, at this time i myself am in the process of writing a book with a friend about my mother and love letters
I know. It is my favorite too. Thanks for the comment.
What a story. Thanks
Wonderful. Keep writing to each other.
Glad to hear that you enjoyed the story.
Very cool had a tear in my eyes as I finished the story