Key Takeaways:
- Sabrina Haake shares a heartfelt story about her mother’s life and death.
- Her mom died from COVID-19 in 2020, highlighting the pandemic’s tragic impact.
- Sabrina reflects on her mother’s strength and struggles with domestic violence.
- She connects personal tragedy to broader societal failures and the importance of voting.
- Sabrina’s story sheds light on untreated mental illness and systemic neglect.
A Mother’s Tragic Loss to COVID
Sabrina Haake, a columnist and lawyer, recently opened up about the loss of her mother to COVID-19 in 2020. Her mom passed just after Mother’s Day, leaving Sabrina with a mix of grief and anger. The pandemic’s mismanagement under former President Donald Trump added to her pain, making it hard for her to write about her mother without letting emotions boil over.
Sabrina’s mom died alone in a hospital, a fate shared by many COVID-19 victims. This loneliness at the end of her life cut deep. Sabrina believes the country failed her mom, not just in her final days, but throughout her life.
A Life Marked by Struggles
Sabrina paints a vivid picture of her mother’s life, one shaped by resilience and suffering. Her mom grew up in Southern Indiana, where women were often expected to stay home and raise children while men “saw the world.” Sabrina’s mom wanted more. She married a man in the Navy, hoping for a better life. Instead, she found herself trapped in a violent relationship.
The abuse was brutal and relentless. Sabrina, from a young age, became her mother’s caretaker. After one particularly violent incident, they ended up in foster care. Her mom’s health never fully recovered from the abuse, and they lived in poverty, afraid her father might return.
A Cycle of Poverty and Trauma
Sabrina’s story doesn’t end there. Her aunt Maggie, who took them in, also faced a tragic end tied to domestic violence. The cycle of poverty and trauma continued, a pattern Sabrina sees repeated across America. She explains how poverty and trauma feed into each other, creating a treadmill that’s hard to escape.
Sabrina’s life took a different turn when her mom remarried a kind man, Bob Hyde. While he brought stability, not all of Sabrina’s siblings escaped the Cycle of hardship. Sabrina credits her success to the responsibility her mom placed on her from a young age. She started working at 11 and supported her mom and sister her whole life.
Mental Health and Systemic Failure
Sabrina reflects on her mother’s mental health struggles, questioning whether they were born from the violence she endured. She talks openly about untreated mental illness, domestic violence, and substance abuse, issues deeply intertwined in their household.
Sabrina’s story is not unique. It’s one of many tragic tales that make the evening news. She believes the systemic failure to protect women like her mom is the real tragedy. Her mom’s life was shaped by fear, poverty, and a system that didn’t serve her.
A Tribute to Her Mother
Sabrina’s tribute to her mom is raw and honest. She wants to honor her by sharing the truth, not just her strengths, but also her struggles. She hopes to help others in similar situations feel less alone.
Sabrina misses her mom deeply, calling her “a stone around my neck, but she was my heavy necklace.” The weight of her mom’s struggles shaped Sabrina, but it also gave her purpose.
A Call to Action
Sabrina’s message is clear: vote. She believes the systemic failures that hurt her mom and countless others can only be fixed through change. Voting, she argues, is the way to push for that change.
Sabrina’s story is not just about loss. It’s about resilience, honesty, and the power of using your voice. She wants to salute the women and children who survive against the odds, and she hopes her story can inspire others to take action.
Final Thoughts
Sabrina Haake’s story is a powerful reminder of the struggles many face in America. It’s a call to confront the real issues plaguing our society and to use our voices to demand change. As Sabrina says, “The real tragedy isn’t in how the country failed her at her death. The real tragedy is how our laws and our system failed to protect her — and hundreds of thousands of women like her — in life.”
Her story is a siren of agency and honesty, a tribute to her mom, and a call to action for all of us.