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Hernando Today

Children Forge Ahead Following An Unforeseen Tragedy

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By TONY HOLT, Hernando Today

Published: January 1, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - It took two weeks for Amanda Nicholson to learn a series of hard-life lessons no teenager expects or wants.

She learned how to overcome unexpected tragedy to be there for her family.

Along the way, she decided to waste no time following in her late mother's footsteps.

Amanda received a frantic call the morning of Dec. 16 from Ashley, her younger sister. Struggling to speak, Ashley told her something was wrong.

Mary Nicholson's friend and co-worker arrived at the house a few minutes earlier to pick her up for work, but she had not gotten out of bed. That was when her youngest daughter opened the door to the master bedroom and saw her mother unconscious.

The worst was soon realized. Nicholson died in her sleep. She was a single mother who left behind four children, ranging in ages 20 to 16.

Two of her children, Amanda, 19, and Michael, 18, were the honored guests at the Brooksville Moose Lodge Saturday night. Organizer and family friend Susan Moglia hosted a spaghetti dinner fundraiser for the family, which included food donated by Papa Joe's, Publix and the Lodge.

The idea for the dinner came about when Amanda told Moglia of her and her family's inability to pay for their mother's cremation expenses.

"We were all trying to come up with a way to get some donations," Amanda said before a hot plate of spaghetti was placed in front of her.

"She came up with this idea for a dinner fundraiser."

The petite young woman sat mostly with her shoulders hunched over. She spoke with little expression on her face, but answered all questions about her mom and family. She mustered a wide smile when asked to describe her mother's best qualities and the strength of their relationship.

She was accompanied by her boyfriend and Debbie Stokes, a close friend of the family. Amanda refers to her as Aunt Debbie. The latter's daughter, Julie, was once the children's babysitter. She also attended the dinner.

Despite her small stature, Amanda's emotional strength was apparent when she described the phone call from her sister the morning they learned of her mother's death.

"She called me in tears," she said. "She was just in tears."

Amanda raced from her residence on County Line Road to Brooksville. By the time she arrived, the paramedics had already pronounced her mother dead.

She called her mom her "best friend" and said one of her proudest moments was seeing her graduate from nursing school.

Amanda's oldest brother, Bobby, was afflicted with cerebral palsy. He died 14 months ago at age 21. Friends said Mary Nicholson slaved during every day of Bobby's life to care for him, but the single mother made sure she made time for her other children.

"Basically, her life revolved around her son, Bobby," said Kevin Moglia, who helped organize Saturday's dinner with his wife. Susan Moglia has been friends with the family since she was Bobby's middle school teacher.

So much of the family's funds went toward Bobby's care. After his death, Nicholson needed more income, but more importantly, she had to find an outlet for her caregiver-like instincts. She enrolled in nursing school.

She was employed at Heron Point Health AND Rehab when she died.

"It's what she knew how to do and what she loved to do," Amanda said of her mother. "She wanted to go into pediatrics. She wanted to care for disabled children."

Nicholson had to do all of that and more with a weak heart - one that shut down before she reached all her personal goals.

It also kept her from seeing her daughter follow in her footsteps. Amanda has enrolled in nursing school at Pasco-Hernando Community College. The admittedly "nervous" student will begin her studies soon after the New Year.

She looked upward at the ceiling to think of an appropriate way to describe her mother's devotion to her children.

"She loved us kids," she said. "Her kids were her world."

Amanda later looked toward Aunt Debbie for more words to describe her devoted mom.

"She was very loving and caring ... and giving," answered Debbie.

"She always gave," Amanda said. "There was nothing she wouldn't do for us."

Reporter Tony Holt can be reached at 352-544-5283 or wholt@hernandotoday.com.

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