Last month, we asked you to tell us why your mom deserved to win a day of pampering in our Mother’s Day Makeover contest.  The response was great – demonstrating just how special mothers are to so many.  While many of your stories touched our hearts, we could only pick five finalists.

Now it’s time for our viewers to choose the winner.

Read their stories vote on who you think deserves the Mother’s Day Makeover 2006.

Martharene Harris - In Honor of my Deceased Mother

I nominate Martharene Harris, for the Mother's Day Makeover. Martharene is not my mother, but my aunt and my best friend. She helped raise me. My mother had nine children so as you can imagine my mother needed all the help she could get. Not only was my Aunt very involved in my life but in the lives of all of my brothers and sisters. She would make sure we were clothed and had plenty to eat and would jump to our defense if she felt we were not being treated fair. She often took children in that had nowhere else to turn. She provided a christian enviroment and made sure we attended church. Her words of wisdom and strong christin beliefs helps to see the positive side of life. She reminds all that God will see you through whatever you are facing. Aunt Martharene opend her home to my mother when she was sick. She helped take care of her in her final days. I know this mother's day will be very difficult for her because she just recently lost her son, Wayne, to lung cancer. In honor of my mother Kathleen Creel, I nominate Martharene Sanders Harris for the Mother's Day Makeover. I often wonder where I would be today if it had not been for her. I thank God for placing her in my life. She has been a true inspiration not only for her family but the whole community.

Gail Jewell - Truck Driver Turned Insurance Agent

I would like to tell you about a great mom, my mama, Gail Jewell. To use the word "great" to describe my mama seems inadequate, she is so much more. She was a single parent for the most part and she managed to not only to financially support us but to show us more love than most two parent families. In a time when women were only expected to be housewives or teachers my mama was working a "man's" job driving an 18 wheeler. She spent her days unloading trucks and her nights driving to get back home to us. She raised all of us to be independent and self confident while showing us the importance of loyalty and compassion; not by telling us but by example. After all of the children were grown and mama didn't have to drive the truck anymore to pay the bills she went back to school to get her insurance license. Passing with flying colors she worked her way up in the field to management, finally my mama was able to do something she loved without breaking her back everyday. Not long after mama was promoted she suffered the first of several strokes that left her unable to walk or talk. With doctors telling us that she would never regain full use of her legs and that her speech would probably never be the same; my mama fought. She worked hard to get her life back and it was fighting that was painful both physically and emotionally but she did it. It took her almost 4 years to recover from her last stroke but she got up out of her wheelchair and she walked, she talked and she lived. In 2003, tragedy struck again, my father, a man who she had married and divorced was diagnosed with cancer. My dad's fight with cancer was not a long one but it was a hard one and my mama was there everyday. I watched as she said goodbye to a man she had loved for almost 30 years and then turn around and stand strong for me as I fell apart. Not long after my father passed, my brother's and sister's father was diagnosed with cancer. Mama had remained friends with her first husband through the years and through his battle with cancer she stood by him, in 2006 she said goodbye and she gave strength to my brothers and sister as they said goodbye. Mama remained strong and unbreakable until Father's Day of 2006, when her oldest son, my brother, suddenly passed away, that is the day my mama broke because something inside her died with him. I have watched for almost 2 years as my mama has struggled to live and as each day passes I see glimmers of that old smile and that strength that I have depended on my whole life. A day of pampering won't bring my brother back but for one day it would give my mama a chance to be happy. She deserves so much more than this life has given her and it would mean so much for Mama to have someone take care of her the way she has always taken care of us. Please help me put that smile back on her face one more time.

Mendi Norris - Safe Haven for Aabandoned 4 Year Old

I think my mom deserves the makeover because she is the best mom ever. She does everything around the house, she cooks, cleans, and does laundry. My mom also taxi's my sister and I around after school. On Monday she takes my sister to gymnastics for an hour and a half. Then on Tuesdys my sister has ball games. Wednesdays my sister has gymnastics again. I also have gymnastics on Wednesdays. On Thursdays my sister has ball games. Fridays my sister has gym and ball. Then on Saturdays my sister has tennis.My mom sits at every gymnastics and every ball game.I never see her do anything for her self. She does eveything for my sister and I. I started babysitting for a little boy when he was only 4 mounths old. He is now 2 years old.In August his mom never came back my mom waited 3 weeks then went and filed custody papers. Now she has temporary custody of the little boy. She is raising him the same way she does us. She shows no difference.

AnnMarie Lang - Coping With Loss

I would not be doing this if I didn't think my mom really needed this. Last November (2 days before Thanksgiving), my mother's fiance was in a tragic motorcycle accident. My mom spent a week staying at the hospital with him. Her fiance was put into CCU and the doctors revealed that he was brain dead. Since he and my mom were not yet married, his dad made all the decisions. His dad chose to pull the plug one week after the wreck. My mom was and still is devastated. Even though 5 months have come and gone, she is still learning to cope with things, and life is very hard for her. She has two children: myself (18 years old) and a son (4 years old). Even though she has lost someone who loved her dearly, I want her to know that she still has two children who love her the same. I want her to know that we will be here for her no matter what. By giving her this makeover, it would make her entire Mother's Day the best day she's had since before that November day. This makeover is just what she needs to make her feel better about herself and life. This makeover will make her feel like there is someone out there who still cares and loves her enough to do something like this for her. So, if you don't feel that there is no one else that deserves this makeover more, please consider my mom. God bless to you all!

Winifred Amari - Grandma to the Rescue

my name is lori hudson i am 25 and i saw this chance to do something special for my mom, she is actually my grandmother but has raised me my whole life this is my story.my birth mother was a struggling mom with 3 kids she did the best she could for us but my father never helped and drank all the time she couldnt provide for us and had to give us up to ensure our safety and well being.there was 3 of us me, my brother,and my sister. we where headed to a foster home but granny being as kindhearted as she was and having love for us couldnt see us being split up and even worse her never seeing us again.she new she was to old to take care of us but decided to give it all she had.i was 15 months old when my granny took custody of us she didnt have much to offer but did everything she new to do to raise us.she struggled everyday to give us what we needed and everything she could,the love in this womens heart for us was more than you could ever imagine.she new that she couldnt take the place of our mom but did a hell of a job at being their as our mom.she held us when things were bad,she wiped our tears when we cried ,she changed our diapers, she gave us LIFE.she is the best women in the world.if it wasnt for her i wouldnt know where i'd be right now she is my world ,my light ,and my best friend, dont get me wrong she was hard on us and wiped our behinds alot but that was because she cared about us and wanted the best life had to offer. she showed us that no matter what background you come from or what life throws at you , that you can be whatever you choose.she believed in us,which in turn made us belive in ourselves. please help me give my grandmother a special day to show her we appreciate her and love her with all our hearts i know we could never repay her for all shes done ,but we cn try ,thank you for your time.

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