BEFORE MY 19-YEAR-OLD SON D.IED, HE GAVE HIS HEART TO AN 18-YEAR-OLD GIRL

As he got older, that never really changed.

So when his illness became worse, I tried desperately to hide how frightened I was.

I smiled when doctors entered the room.

I told him everything would be fine.

I told him we would figure something out.

He knew I was lying.

One afternoon, while we were alone in his hospital room, he looked at me and said, “Mom, can I ask you something?”