We asked, you answered. Here are your most memorable moments with Mom for Mother's Day

When Brianna McIndoe was increasing up successful Tampa, Fla., her mother, Lisa McIndoe, maintained a beauteous angiosperm plot successful beforehand of their location that attracted neighbors who would halt by to respect it.

"To this day, I americium impressed by her quality to turn thing beauteous wherever determination was thing before," recalls Brianna, present 34. "I retrieve sitting extracurricular with her planting seeds successful the aboriginal spring, and she would thatch maine astir the antithetic varieties."

Among those seeds were assorted types of the cockscomb flower, a uniquely shaped, fuzzy works that comes successful galore colors and was a favourite of some Brianna and her mother. The irony of it besides being known arsenic the "brain flower" held small value for them astatine the time.

This past April, connected a lukewarm outpouring time portion her children, ages 7 and 5, were connected interruption from school, Brianna took them connected a scenic 7 1/2-hour thrust from their location successful Augusta, Ga., to sojourn their grandma Lisa successful Lutz, a suburb of Tampa.

"When we arrived astatine the nursing home, my ma didn't admit me," Brianna says.

After a mates of hours, Brianna and the kids near to sojourn different relatives and friends earlier heading backmost home. As they started their travel homeward, Brianna felt a beardown impulse to sojourn her ma again.

This time, they stayed for a fewer much hours. The kids worked connected a puzzle, portion Brianna attempted to prosecute her parent successful conversation, adjacent though it was mostly unsuccessful.

"Right earlier we were getting acceptable to leave, my girl mentioned the puzzle, and I turned to my ma and asked, 'Was I similar this erstwhile I was younger?' " Brianna recalls. "For a little moment, I saw a glimpse of my ma again. She laughed and said, 'You were conscionable similar that arsenic a kid. She is conscionable similar you.' In that moment, I knew she remembered, and it brought maine truthful overmuch joy."

Brianna's communicative is among astir 500 shared with NPR aft we invited readers to taxable their favourite memories of their moms, whether their mothers are inactive contiguous for them to hug oregon unrecorded connected successful their hearts. Brianna's acquisition is besides 1 of galore that item the struggles of mothers dealing with dementia. Brianna says her mother, 63, is successful a nursing home, receiving full-time attraction owed to early-onset dementia.

"My ma is some live and gone," Brianna says.

Amid this struggle, Brianna has contemplated the legacies that galore deliberation of erstwhile considering their mothers.

"Something she ever tells maine is to permission things amended than you recovered them. I'm trying to bash that with my kids, making definite they person a amended beingness than I had."

Brianna's sentiments were reflected successful numerous submissions from crossed the United States and beyond — arsenic acold distant arsenic Africa, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia. They came from radical successful their 20s to their 70s, representing galore races, genders, ethnicities and spiritual beliefs.

NPR received a flood of nostalgic stories — memories of moms from childhood, on with big reflections that often showed that nary substance however aged we become, moms inactive astonishment us.

There were humorous tales of moms' antics that near america laughing, invaluable pieces of moms' proposal that we mightiness conscionable adopt, and stories that tugged astatine our hearts, particularly those poignant stories astir mothers who person passed away.

Many favourite memories of Mom stem from her advice

Unsurprisingly, stories astir beingness lessons taught by moms are among the favourite memories radical cherish. Even if you could hardly locomotion erstwhile she dropped those gems, you whitethorn present beryllium watching your ain children transportation connected that bequest today.

Take Michael Sweet, 62, a begetter of four, for example. He recalls that of everything his mother, Donna Sweet, 83, instilled successful him, the astir vivid and life-changing infinitesimal occurred erstwhile helium was conscionable 4 years old.

At that time, Michael's household lived successful a tiny working-class municipality successful Pennsylvania. It was a segregated neighborhood, but Michael remembers attending a preschool filled with "kids of each races and abilities." The twelvemonth was 1967, a tumultuous clip successful American history. Each evening with his parents, helium would tune successful to the CBS Evening News, getting "a rundown of the horrors" unfolding crossed the nation.

"Walter Cronkite had been showing quality footage of a batch of radical who happened to person darker tegument colour than excavation marching down streets wearing Sunday-best clothing: men, women and, astir impactful for me, kids," Michael recalls.

"Then the movie showed the aforesaid radical being beaten by policemen. Firemen were knocking women and kids to the ground, and they were getting pinned against buildings by high-pressure firehoses. Worst, arsenic acold arsenic I was concerned, was large German shepherds were being sent to wound each these people."

The canine attacks were peculiarly incomprehensible to him, arsenic his favourite TV amusement featured Lassie, a heroic collie. This shocking opposition upended his knowing of the world; to him, constabulary and firefighters were figures who protected people, not ones who caused harm. Confused, helium yet asked his parent wherefore these radical were being hurt.

"Was it due to the fact that Black radical are bad? That was the lone logical reply I could travel up with," Michael says.

This question shook his mother, and she devised a program to assistance him understand.

He remembers her saying, "Some radical conscionable won't judge others if their shells are antithetic colors." His parent helped him recognize that the protests helium saw connected TV were astir radical demonstrating against the mistreatment of Black individuals due to the fact that of the colour of their skin, and that specified behaviour was wrong.

Michael doesn't callback galore discussions astir civilian rights, but that speech with his parent was "all I ever needed to acceptable my motivation compass."

"From that moment, I knew I was going to support anyone who was being treated mean[ly] adjacent if it meant stopping the police."

Later successful life, Michael became a constabulary serviceman successful Ohio.

"I wasn't capable to assistance those kids backmost successful 1967, but for 29 years, that was my fig 1 occupation — protecting anyone successful harm's way."

"Mary Had a Little Lamb"

In the precocious 1940s, Bobbi Jo Dziuk's dada was a bachelor husbandman surviving successful North Dakota. One of his brothers met a beauteous pistillate from New York and got married. It turned retired she had a beauteous azygous relative arsenic well. Thus began the courtship betwixt Bobbi's parents, which initially took spot done letters. They joined successful January 1956, and Bobbi's mom, Eva Erbele, moved to bitterly acold North Dakota. This modulation was peculiarly challenging for a pistillate who had grown up successful tropical Puerto Rico earlier moving to the Bronx. But the newlywed mates believed their emotion would support them warm.

Over the adjacent 60 years, they were seldom apart. One year, Bobbi's dada needed country and had to beryllium hospitalized overnight. Since the infirmary was a fewer hours distant from home, Bobbi and her ma decided to enactment astatine a hotel.

"As we shared a furniture that night, she asked if I would laic my caput close adjacent to hers connected the pillow, with our foreheads touching and holding hands, 'cause 'that's however we autumn dormant each night,' " Bobbi recounts. "I teased my ma if I should sing her lullabies too. Her quiescent reply, 'I would emotion that!' So forehead to forehead, holding hands, successful the dark, I sang my ma lullabies until she fell asleep."

Bobbi, 56, remembers she sang nursery rhymes similar "Mary Had a Little Lamb."

Her begetter made a afloat betterment but died 3 years aboriginal — during the winter. The pursuing 9 years were hard for her mom, arsenic she had seldom been isolated from her husband.

Bobbi and her siblings did their champion to bring her comfort, adjacent arsenic dementia and Parkinson's illness started to instrumentality a toll. Eventually, they moved her into a elder attraction facility, which helped her to set to being alone.

Before her parent became ill, Bobbi was capable to make galore cherished memories with her, including moments with Bobbi's present 22-year-old son. However, she says nary stands retired to her similar that nighttime astatine the hotel.

"This representation has go much precious since she passed distant [March 20] astatine the property of 92," Bobbi says.

Mom's cooking is the best

For galore people, Mom's nutrient is the best, and countless memories are created astir the cuisine that shaped their puerility and has adjacent been passed connected arsenic tradition. For example, Lora Hinkson from Barbados cherishes her mom's saccharine bread, a Caribbean delicacy filled with coconut. Although her mother, Carmelia "Dinks" Hinkson, has been gone since 2016, Lora, present an accountant successful her 40s, tin inactive vividly callback the delicious aroma of that breadstuff wafting done the location and adjacent into the streets whenever she thinks of her mom.

"The scent was special, yes. The scent, somewhat saccharine and spicy from the coconut. Added to that, besides the warmth of the oven," Lora recounts. "On acold rainy days, erstwhile the location could beryllium acold and miserable, the warmth of the oven conscionable made the location consciousness cozy. Welcoming. Like home."

New York lawyer Subhan Ali fondly remembers the enticing curry flavors that filled his family's location portion helium was increasing up successful India and successful their caller assemblage aft they moved to the U.S. His mother, Syeda Ali, insisted connected making respective dishes for him to frost whenever they visited each other, ensuring helium would ever person a sensation of location and her delicious cooking.

Despite his efforts to dissuade her, she wouldn't perceive of it.

"On what would go my past travel to spot her, her wellness had declined, and she had to beryllium admitted to the hospital," helium recalls. "The doc called to pass maine that she had signifier 4 lung cancer. At 88, this meant she didn't person overmuch clip left. After the call, I walked backmost to her room, and earlier I could accidental a word, she said alternatively longingly, 'If I were backmost home, I could person cooked thing for you.' In that moment, it deed maine that she would ne'er navigator for maine again."

His parent died connected July Fourth successful 2018.

"Long aft her passing, I warmed up immoderate frozen nutrient she had prepared and ate it," helium says. "My parent would person been successful her seventh eden that her children were inactive enjoying her cooking, adjacent aft she had died!"

Let maine archer you astir legacy

An arsenic impactful representation was shared by Suzette Takacs, a 71-year-old retired teacher from Campbell, Calif., of her mom, Phyllis Rosnes, who is present 95. Suzette says it has guided her passim her life, contempt it occurring erstwhile she was conscionable 11 years old.

At the time, they lived successful Southern California. It was conscionable a emblematic summertime day, and they were astatine a market store, wherever a ample array displayed caller greenish grapes. Both parent and girl loved grapes, and Suzette gazed astatine her ma with anticipation, longing for the juicy treats. But her parent conscionable stood staring astatine the grapes, appearing successful heavy thought.

"Mom looked down astatine maine past and said, 'I would emotion to bargain immoderate of these grapes, but I've been proceeding that the radical who prime them are not being treated precise well. That's not right, truthful we're not going to bargain any,' " Suzette recounted.

This was successful 1965 during a clip erstwhile Cesar Chavez and the workplace workers national were instrumental successful organizing the Delano Grape Strike and boycott, which lasted until 1970 and advocated for farmworker rights.

Suzette reflects that successful that moment, her ma took a stance that taught her to ever see the plight of others and to assistance them, adjacent successful tiny ways.

"I emotion my saccharine mom, but I emotion her each the much for teaching maine this invaluable and life-altering lesson. I'm inactive truthful arrogant of her! Helping others successful request has ever brought america the top joy."

Suzette's ain daughter, Erin, continues this bequest by moving arsenic a teacher for children with disabilities.

Similarly, David Taffner, a 56-year-old manager successful pharmaceuticals from Michigan, reflects connected his ain learning acquisition from his mother, Dorothy Taffner, who loved crossword puzzles and would lick them with his dad. It wasn't until good into his big beingness that helium yet bought a New York Times crossword puzzle book. When his parents visited and noticed his unfinished puzzles, his ma offered him a elemental portion of advice: "If you deliberation you cognize the answer, constitute it successful — it's astir apt correct."

For years, David ignored this advice. However, recently, aft 20 years of second-guessing and 5 years aft his ma passed away, helium started pursuing her suggestion. "And damn, she was right! I've got the close reply much often than not," helium says.

"Now, my regular wont of moving a crossword puzzle brings maine much joyousness due to the fact that I cognize Mom would beryllium nodding her caput astatine each the things I've learned," David says.

Do what I do

Some lessons are learned not from what is said straight to a child, but from what they overhear erstwhile adults are unaware that they're listening. This was the acquisition shared by precocious schoolhouse teacher Julie Walton-Davidson. Now successful her 40s, Julie recalls a market store sojourn from her puerility with her mother, Connie Walton, who is present 83 years old.

"A neighbour stopped to chat. I had turned the aisle erstwhile I heard the neighbour referring to me, saying, '… she is stunning.' My ma responded by saying, 'You should spot her heart.' She didn't cognize I had overheard her, but that time she raised the barroom and acceptable it," Julie remembers. "Her words person been a changeless reminder passim my beingness of what's astir important."

Now, Julie is raising her 2 daughters, ages 20 and 23, with akin ideals, teaching them to ever admit their worth beyond superficial appearances and to beryllium bully and benignant individuals.

Honoring Mom aft she's gone

Not each representation of a mother is reminiscent of a Hallmark greeting paper oregon a heartwarming vacation movie. Not each mothers are portrayed arsenic the perfect parental figures their children privation for. But losing a parent is undoubtedly 1 of the astir heartbreaking experiences.

Many radical person shared the infinitesimal their ma passed away. While the symptom of losing a loved 1 is unfathomable, immoderate find singular ways to grant their memory.

"My ma passed distant connected my day successful 2019, astatine the property of 89," recounts Bob Simons, a dada of 3 who lives successful Atlanta. "I americium genuinely honored that she passed connected the aforesaid time that she gave commencement to maine 58 years earlier."

Now 64, Bob cherishes that past sojourn helium had with his mom, Elisabeth Simons, a Holocaust subsister from Vienna. She escaped to the U.S. with her ma and sister. She spent overmuch of her big beingness successful Boston arsenic a doc and aesculapian schoolhouse prof portion raising Bob and his sister.

"On the evening earlier she died … I was blessed to beryllium capable to walk an hr and a fractional with her, conscionable listening to her reminisce astir her life," Bob shares. "She started our speech saying, 'It's been a bully beingness …' to which I responded, 'Mom, it's been a large life!' "

After her passing, galore of her students wrote tributes, and Bob's brother-in-law compiled them into a book. On Bob's day each twelvemonth — the day of his mother's decease — the household reads these tributes successful her memory. Bob besides keeps her representation live with the opening enactment helium utilized successful her eulogy:

"I inactive speech with Mom each day, the lone quality is that present I tin get a connection oregon 2 successful each erstwhile successful a while."

Joe Tanner has a akin representation of his mother.

Sure, helium loved her laugh, watching her creation astir the room portion singing state music, and of people her comforting hugs, particularly arsenic they sat connected the sofa successful their cozy Utah home, wherever she would inquire him astir his day. But thing compares to the time she showed up astatine his spot aft receiving an important message.

"My ma has ever been precise loving, but was besides precise religious. I knew she would beryllium kind, but I besides knew that it would beryllium thing that would marque her person to look immoderate decisions that were tough," Joe recounts. "I knew that she was going to interest astir me. I was excessively tense to person to spot her look oregon interest astir the heartbreak, truthful I came retired to her successful an email."

The timing was incredible, helium recalls. The time earlier helium sent the email, his mom's machine had been hacked, truthful she took it for repairs.

"The time she got her machine back, she saw my email and drove 2 hours unannounced to travel and spot me," helium says. She initially made tiny talk, helium says, past "just grabbed maine and gave maine the biggest hug she could springiness and started crying. She needed maine to cognize what happened and that thing could person changed the emotion that she had for me."

He was 32 astatine the time.

"Then we sat and cried unneurotic and made definite that we each knew however overmuch we loved and appreciated 1 another."

Joe's mom, Denille Andrus, died six years agone of cancer. She was 61.

"She wanted to amusement emotion and enactment to me, arsenic good arsenic springiness a motion to my spiritual siblings and wanted to person rainbows astatine her funeral. She asked my sisters to overgarment rainbows connected her fingernails."

Mom's precocious jinks and emotion are unmatched

Janean Schmidt from Spokane, Wash., shares a riveting representation of her mom, Janet Joregsen, present successful her 70s.

In the mid-1980s, portion they were surviving successful Los Angeles, the philharmonic Cats was each the rage. Although Janean's ma was not a instrumentality of the genre, Janean was obsessed with it. For her 16th birthday, she insisted connected going to spot Cats and, surprisingly, her ma reluctantly agreed. They decided to marque a full time of it, including meal adjacent the theater.

Janean reminisces astir however backmost past during intermission, attendees could locomotion onstage and get adjacent to the oversized acceptable pieces and adjacent cod autographs from characters.

"We each locomotion onto the stage, and my ma turns astir to look the audience, and belts retired conscionable the rubric connection to the show's biggest hit: 'Meeeeeemmm-rrryyyyy... There, present I tin accidental I've sung 'Memory' connected the signifier of Cats," Janean hilariously recalls.

"I occasionally punctual her of that moment, I loved it truthful much."

In opposition to Janean's mother, Angel Limb's mom, Cora Mae, had a beardown affinity for philharmonic arts, particularly the tunes of World War II, during which she came of age. Cora loved plaything and Big Band music, which she called "war tunes," and she often sang these to Angel. By property 4, Angel knew the lyrics to dozens of her mom's favourite tunes, believing nary different genre existed.

"On my archetypal time of kindergarten, l knew nary of the songs my teacher Miss Leonard sang with the class," Angel, a Virginia resident, recalls. "She asked wherefore l did not sing. I told her that l had ne'er heard 'The Itsy-Bitsy Spider' oregon 'Old MacDonald Had a Farm.' "

Perplexed, Miss Leonard asked what songs she did know.

"l belted retired a fewer bars of the Andrews Sisters' 1941 deed 'Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,' and added a fewer of their creation moves arsenic well. I tin inactive spot the look connected Miss Leonard's look that intelligibly said, 'What an oddball!'

"My archetypal kindergarten study paper described maine arsenic '… bright, confident, and offbeat.' Unusual upbringing? Yes, please, and thanks, Mom!"

For Patricia Avila from San Benito, Texas, a likewise memorable infinitesimal occurred a decennary agone erstwhile she took her mom, Aurora Avila, connected a travel to Hawaii. Patricia was looking guardant to her parent climbing to the apical of the 750-foot Diamond Head, but her then-72-year-old ma felt daunted by the challenging ascent and opted to enactment astatine the base. Patricia climbed with friends, and moments aft reaching the summit, thing unexpected happened.

"A person tapped maine connected the enarthrosis and pointed to my mom," Patricia recalls. "I retrieve feeling amazed to spot her connected the apical of Diamond Head and arrogant of her accomplishment. It was the item of the trip!"

My mom's the undefeated comedian

Overall, the responses to our callout amusement that adjacent though immoderate whitethorn not person the astir joyful experiences with their mom, the memories that are astir cherished are those precious moments that marque a kid consciousness astir comforted, safe, cared for and valued. Scarcely would a kid consciousness emotion without the undeniable enactment of their ma and beingness of laughter.

English prof Makayla Steiner, 39, dares you to beryllium this conception wrong with her reflection on running for pupil assembly successful ninth grade. She was quiescent and shy, and neither she nor her mom, Camille Callister, a precocious schoolhouse teacher, was definite she would beryllium elected.

However, her ma diligently helped her marque run posters and treats. When the winners were announced, Makayla was shocked to spot her sanction connected the list. She gathered posters and walked home, excited to archer her mom. As she entered the beforehand door, her parent looked astatine her successful anticipation.

"I smiled, shrugged, and said, 'I won!' " Makayla recalls.

Her ma screamed with joy, hugged her, and they danced around. Then, Camille pulled a barroom retired of the oven.

"It was colorfully decorated and she had piped 'The thrill of victory!' connected top," Makayla remembers.

Makayla was pleased, but she wondered aloud what her parent would person done if she had lost.

Her ma grinned sheepishly, past went backmost to the oven and pulled retired a smaller cake.

"She had decorated it with bluish foot-shaped candies and had piped 'Da Agony of Da-Feet!' connected it. I laughed, and successful the 20-plus years since then, I person remembered fondly that lesson: that triumph oregon lose, my ma was going to beryllium determination for and with me, and successful bully humor. She's the best!"

Happy Mother's Day to each moms — whether live oregon surviving connected successful our hearts!