Houston woman divorces, then adopts husband after wreck left him with brain damage

KHOU 11
4 Mar 202406:29

Summary

TLDR这是一个关于爱与家庭的感人故事。克里斯与詹姆斯结为连理,同时也收留了克里斯前夫布兰登,后者遭遇车祸导致严重脑损伤。尽管生活艰难,克里斯仍决心照顾布兰登,詹姆斯也全心支持她的决定。他们一家人互相关爱,以非同寻常的方式编织着一个美好的家庭。这个故事展现了爱能跨越一切困难,将人们紧密联系在一起,创造出意料之外的美好。

Takeaways

  • 🤵‍♀️ 克里斯在结婚后,由于前夫布兰登遭遇车祸造成脑损伤,成为他的看护人。
  • 👰 克里斯后来与詹姆斯结婚,詹姆斯全心全意接纳布兰登,与克里斯一同照顾他。
  • 👨‍🦱 布兰登虽失去大部分记忆力,但还能认出克里斯,她是他仅存的长期记忆。
  • 👪 克里斯和詹姆斯将布兰登纳入家庭,孩子们也亲昵地称他为"布兰登叔叔"。
  • 💞 詹姆斯对布兰登的无私关爱,包括为他换尿布、陪伴等,体现了爱的伟大。
  • 🎵 音乐能让布兰登短暂恢复一些回忆,唤起他与克里斯的点点滴滴。
  • 💔 尽管遭受巨大打击,克里斯仍坚持爱着布兰登,视他为生命的一部分。
  • 🌹 詹姆斯甚至表示,如果布兰登有复原的奇迹,他愿意让克里斯重新与布兰登在一起。
  • 👣 克里斯在社交媒体上记录布兰登的生活,寻求精神慰藉。
  • 💗 这个家庭用爱与包容诠释了人伦之爱的力量,克服重重困难。

Q & A

  • 克里斯和詹姆斯是如何组建这个特殊的家庭的?

    -克里斯在与前夫Brandon结婚后,他遭遇了一场严重的车祸,导致重度脑损伤。尽管如此,克里斯决定继续照顾Brandon,并与詹姆斯组建了一个新家庭,Brandon也成为了这个新家庭的一员。

  • Brandon的脑损伤对他的生活产生了哪些影响?

    -Brandon患有创伤后遗症,记忆力只有大约10秒。他无法完全自理,需要别人照顾。但他仍然保留了一些长期记忆,比如曾经与克里斯共度的美好时光。

  • 克里斯为什么最终决定与Brandon离婚?

    -尽管深爱着Brandon,但克里斯渴望拥有自己的孩子并重新找到爱情。在照顾Brandon5年后,她决定与Brandon离婚,但仍然继续作为他的法定监护人照顾他。

  • 詹姆斯对待Brandon的态度如何?

    -詹姆斯全心全意地接纳了Brandon,就像对待自己的孩子一样,亲自照顾他的生活起居。这体现了他对克里斯的深深的爱。

  • 孩子们与Brandon的关系如何?

    -克里斯和詹姆斯的两个孩子休和梅多视Brandon为他们的叔叔,与他亲密相处。他们会陪伴、逗弄Brandon,让他感到被家人所爱。

  • 如果Brandon有朝一日完全康复,詹姆斯会做何反应?

    -詹姆斯说,如果有什么奇迹能治愈Brandon的脑损伤,他愿意让克里斯与Brandon重新在一起,因为克里斯先与Brandon在一起。这种回答体现了詹姆斯对克里斯的深深的爱与信任。

  • 如果发生克里斯离世的情况,詹姆斯会怎么做?

    -詹姆斯表示,如果克里斯不在了,他会继续争取成为Brandon的监护人,确保Brandon能持续得到家人的照顾与爱。

  • 这个故事传达了哪些人生价值观?

    -这个故事传达了坚韧、爱与包容的人生价值观。克里斯和詹姆斯用行动诠释了对Brandon的无私爱,用家人般的方式照顾他,让Brandon感受到生命的价值。

  • 克里斯为什么要在社交媒体上分享这个故事?

    -在照顾Brandon的过程中,克里斯一直渴望获得更多的同理心与支持。通过在社交媒体分享这个故事,她找到了一些所需的哀悼支持。

  • 这个家庭故事给你什么启示?

    -这个故事令人动容,它启示我们要坚持爱与善良,即使在艰难的处境中也不放弃。家人般的包容与接纳,能使生命焕发美好的意义。面对挫折时,我们应当以更宽广的包容心去珍惜眼前所拥有的一切。

Outlines

00:00

😇 一个非凡的家庭的诞生

这个段落描述了一个非传统家庭的故事。克里斯和詹姆斯结婚时,克里斯把她的前夫布兰登也一同带入了新的家庭。布兰登曾经是克里斯的高中甜心,后来遭遇车祸导致严重脑损伤,失去了自理能力。面对这种情况,克里斯最初作为布兰登的妻子照顾他,后来为了追求自己的人生幸福,与布兰登离婚但继续作为他的监护人无私照料。与詹姆斯组建新家庭后,布兰登也成为这个大家庭的一份子,受到全家人的疼爱。

05:01

🌹 一种难能可贵的爱与牺牲

这一段继续讲述了克里斯、詹姆斯以及布兰登之间独特而美好的关系。布兰登的存在对克里斯来说弥足珍贵,詹姆斯也全心全意接纳和爱护布兰登,把他视为家人。有趣的是,詹姆斯甚至说如果有治愈布兰登脑损伤的奇迹出现,他愿意让克里斯与布兰登重新在一起。另一方面,如果克里斯不幸去世,詹姆斯也会争取成为布兰登的监护人。这种无私的爱和牺牲精神令人动容,体现了一种高尚而纯真的人性光辉。

Mindmap

Keywords

💡创伤性脑损伤

创伤性脑损伤是指由于外部力量作用造成的头部和大脑损伤,如交通事故、跌落等。在这个视频中,布兰登在车祸中受到重创,导致持续的记忆力和认知能力下降。他需要长期的护理,这给他的妻子克里斯带来了巨大的压力和挑战。

💡监护人

监护人是为无民事行为能力的成年人指定的法定代理人,负责照顾和管理他们的生活。视频中,克里斯在与布兰登离婚后成为他的监护人,这样她就可以继续全权负责照顾他。即使她重新组建了家庭,她也坚持让布兰登作为家庭成员,履行她对布兰登的承诺。

💡重组家庭

重组家庭是指离婚后再次结婚或同居,将原有的子女与新伴侣及其子女组合在一起的家庭形式。克里斯与詹姆斯结合,将布兰登、克里斯与詹姆斯的孩子们融合成一个特殊的大家庭。这体现了他们包容、宽容和彼此支持的美好品质。

💡不离不弃

不离不弃指无论遇到任何困难或逆境都不放弃对方,坚持相互扶持。视频中,克里斯对布兰登始终如一地付出耐心与爱护,哪怕在重新婚姻后,她依旧视布兰登为家人的一份子。詹姆斯也全力支持克里斯,主动分担照顾布兰登的责任,用行动诠释了对克里斯的爱。

💡记忆力障碍

记忆力障碍是指由于创伤、疾病或其他原因导致记忆功能受损,难以储存和提取信息。在视频中,车祸让布兰登的短期记忆极为短暂,往往只能保持几秒钟,这给日常生活带来了极大的不便。但他对曾经的妻子克里斯仍有印象,反映出长期记忆受损较轻。

💡同理心

同理心是指设身处地为他人着想,理解他人的处境与感受。视频中,詹姆斯全心全意接纳布兰登,以父亲般的方式照料他,体现了对克里斯和布兰登的深深体谅。虽然布兰登难以回应,但他依然给予耐心与善意,彰显了高尚的品格。

💡生命意义

生命意义指人生存在的价值和目标。克里斯坚持将布兰登视为家人,付出持续的照料,不仅是对曾经婚姻的承诺,更是对生命本身的尊重。她用实际行动诠释了爱的意义,给予布兰登尊严和意义。这种决心和行为传递出对生命的无私热爱。

💡自我牺牲

自我牺牲是指为了他人或更高的利益而放弃自身的利益。克里斯为了照顾布兰登而离婚,舍弃了重新组建家庭的机会。她日复一日地侍奉布兰登,放弃了很多个人时间和自由。这种无怨无悔的付出体现了她对布兰登的深深爱意和责任心。

💡逆境中的美

逆境中的美指在艰难处境中仍然存在的温暖、鼓舞人心的一面。虽然布兰登的不幸给家人带来了沉重负担,但他们用爱化解了悲伤,用坚韧与勇气战胜命运。克里斯和詹姆斯用行动诠释了真爱,用包容温暖了布兰登残余的生命。在逆境中,他们的美好情操熠熠生辉。

💡人性的力量

人性的力量指人类独有的正直、善良与勇气的内在品质。在这个故事中,克里斯、詹姆斯以及他们的孩子们用包容与宽恕化解了痛苦,以坚韧不拔的意志和无私的爱对抗命运的无情。他们展现了人性中最美好、最让人肃然起敬的一面,折射出人类精神的力量。

Highlights

克里斯和詹姆斯·阿姆斯特朗结婚后创造了一个不同寻常的家庭,因为克里斯带来了她的前夫布兰登。

布兰登在一次车祸中遭受创伤性脑损伤,陷入昏迷,醒来后无法自理。

克里斯从妻子变成了布兰登的看护人,她的朋友们担心她会精神崩溃。

经过5年的照顾布兰登后,克里斯为了能再次恋爱和生育,决定与布兰登离婚,但仍然作为他的法定监护人继续照顾他。

通过与詹姆斯结婚,克里斯找到了自己和布兰登的新生活方式。

詹姆斯爱着克里斯,也愿意照顾布兰登,这种爱感动了所有人。

詹姆斯和克里斯一起为布兰登穿衣、洗漱,照顾他就像照顾自己的孩子一样。

克里斯的两个孩子也把布兰登当作自己的叔叔来亲昵相待。

布兰登虽然健忘,但仍能认出克里斯是他的妻子。

克里斯说她无法割舍与布兰登的心连心的羁绊,将他视为生命的一部分。

詹姆斯甚至说,如果有办法治愈布兰登,他愿意让克里斯重新与布兰登在一起。

詹姆斯还表示,如果克里斯不在了,他会为布兰登申请监护权。

这个家庭体现了非常纯真、无私和美好的爱。

克里斯在社交媒体上分享她们一家人的故事,获得了很多人的理解和支持。

这种家庭形态虽然不同寻常,但彰显了爱的力量超越了一切。

Transcripts

00:00

From the moment Chris and James Armstrong married,

00:04

they created an unusual blended family.

00:08

That's because Chris brought with her, her ex-husband,

00:12

Brandon,

00:15

they were high school sweethearts who married at 21.

00:19

What do you remember about the wedding? I still remember at

00:21

being at

00:23

the church and

00:26

them opening the doors and walking down with my dad and seeing Brandon, you know,

00:30

at the end of the aisle and

00:32

just knowing that I wanted to spend my life with him and that I loved him

00:36

two years after they got married, Brandon was t boned by a moving truck

00:41

leaving him with a traumatic brain injury.

00:44

He was in a coma and we didn't know when or if he would wake up and what

00:49

what would happen?

00:50

Although he did wake up, he was unable to take care of himself.

00:55

He was in something called post traumatic amnesia at that time.

00:58

And so his memory which really, he's never really fully gotten out of,

01:02

but his memory was like 10 seconds long.

01:05

This was really when it became clear that I went from being a wife

01:08

to a caregiver.

01:09

My friends even came to me after I'd been doing this for several

01:12

months and they said we love you so much and we support you,

01:15

but you can't keep doing this. You're drowning. We see you drowning.

01:19

So after five years of caring for Brandon

01:23

and longing to have Children

01:25

and wanting to again be in love with someone who could be in love with her.

01:29

Chris decided

01:31

to divorce Brandon

01:33

whenever I thought about

01:35

moving forward with the divorce.

01:37

The thing that terrified me the most would be

01:38

that I wouldn't be able to care for Brandon.

01:41

There we

01:42

go.

01:43

So she asked a judge

01:44

to make her Brandon's legal guardian.

01:48

And I told her, you know, nothing's gonna change.

01:50

I'm gonna continue to take care of Brandon

01:53

forever.

01:53

And each year now I have to renew guardianship papers

01:57

and they usually ask for a picture and now I get

01:59

to send the picture of Brandon with our whole family

02:01

and I've gotten to write the judge and tell her,

02:03

you know,

02:04

I don't know if you remember me, but I've

02:07

stood true to what I said and Brandon is an integral part of our family

02:11

by creating this family with James Armstrong. She found love for herself and

02:17

for Brandon,

02:19

it's a sad story, but there's a lot of beauty in it too.

02:24

Yeah.

02:25

Well, you want to know what moved me the most when I heard the story is that

02:29

the thought of you loving her enough

02:32

to help care for Brandon.

02:34

That's what made me weep.

02:36

It's not just letting her, it's loading Brandon too,

02:39

you know,

02:40

he needs us.

02:44

Yeah,

02:45

he needs people that love him,

02:50

that love looks like feeding him,

02:52

maintaining his hygiene,

02:54

taking him to therapy appointments

02:57

and giving him the willpower

02:59

and a little extra willpower to keep living.

03:02

I think in the

03:03

physicality of him helping with Brandon. That's one piece. I mean,

03:09

the fact that

03:11

we change Brandon together, it's, it's I I can do it by myself but it's very,

03:16

very hard.

03:17

Um

03:18

James helps me like that. That is such a gift of love. You ready? You can sit down.

03:23

I got you,

03:24

James cares for bred

03:26

in the same fatherly way. He watches he and Chris's Children.

03:30

Four year old Meadow

03:32

and six year old Juniper.

03:34

They snuggle up to the now 38 year old man. They call Uncle Brandon.

03:39

Hey, what's up, dude?

03:41

Hi, sweetheart. How

03:42

are you?

03:43

Brandon lives in a nursing home

03:45

but every few days

03:47

they bring him home

03:50

on the day we spent with them.

03:51

Juniper nearly jumped in Brandon's wheelchair after school.

03:58

It made me feel good to be able to make him smile by playing his favorite artist.

04:03

You wanna play some Bob Marley?

04:06

Yeah, Bob Marley,

04:15

he was unusually engaged on the day we spent with them

04:22

today. I feel like especially

04:25

you're like super tuned in

04:27

which is cool because it's

04:29

like it comes and goes, you know,

04:33

some days we, we can really connect and some days we can't.

04:37

The good days and the not so good ones are chronicled on Chris's Tik Tok account

04:42

there. She has found some of the grief support she's always been looking for.

04:47

Where do we both work in?

04:50

We worked at

04:51

Casa

04:53

Casa

04:53

Mole

04:55

Brandon's long term memory is one thing,

04:58

the accident didn't take away from him entirely.

05:01

She is the one person he recognizes.

05:04

Always.

05:06

You remember the song

05:07

that we um

05:08

danced to at our wedding?

05:10

Hey Red Cinderella.

05:14

Yeah,

05:14

he is a very part of who I am because I carry his heart in my heart and I always will.

05:19

And so the decisions that I've made to be,

05:23

have him in our life be a part of our family is because I can't not,

05:27

you know, when somebody is so tied to you, you can't untie that I love you

05:32

before we left them.

05:33

Chris told us something James said, which shocked us something so unlikely,

05:38

so improbable

05:41

but so beautiful.

05:42

He said if, if some miracle were, you know,

05:46

uh treatment happens for people with a brain injury and Brandon can be healed.

05:49

He said I want you to be with him. You were with him first.

05:55

And I think that

05:57

it's,

05:58

you know, I don't think that's going to happen, but just the fact that I don't know,

06:01

you're just a very special person.

06:03

You really are.

06:05

I don't think I am.

06:06

I

06:07

do what I think is right.

06:09

You know,

06:10

I do what my heart tells me to do.

06:11

And then James said this,

06:14

I also told her if anything happens to her where she passes away,

06:18

I will fight for guardianship.

06:22

You will have looked

06:23

at.