Inherited Jewelry, Debra’s Story featured on Dr. Oz

Image Courtesy Hearst Media, Dr. Oz Oct 2015

A Story of Loss and Inherited Jewelry

Debra’s lovely story, which was featured on a previous blog post of mine, caught the attention of Dr. Oz’s magazine, The Good Life.

This wonderful re-working of Debra’s mother’s wedding band into a piece of memorial jewelry for Debra to wear was a meaningful project for us both. Her story and our inherited jewelry project were featured in Dr. Oz’s The Good Life magazine.

Since the size of the image doesn’t allow you to read the story very well I’ve included it here.

“I needed my mother back.”

This is the Issue of Dr. Oz The Good Life That the Article is in

“In 2010, during a big decluttering, I asked a local jewelry designer to come over to come over and see if she wanted to buy some pieces I never wore.  We came across my mother’s wedding ring in an old jewel box.  It was the only thing I had left of hers:  She died when I was 15 after being bedridden for years, and after that, nobody really talked about her – not my siblings or my father, who remarried.

When Debra First Put on Her Mother’s Ring in its New Life as Her Pendant

It wasn’t until decades later, after my father died, that I learned she’d actually committed suicide. Shame had erased her from our lives. So when the designer and I found this ring, I said “I wish there were a way that I could wear this,” and she said, “Let me try something.” Weeks later, she came back with this beautiful pendant. I just couldn’t stop crying; it was like my mom was there again.

Debra’s Memorial Jewelry in Her New Daughter in Law’s Hair for the Wedding Ceremony

I wear it daily now. When my daughter got married, she pinned it inside her dress. My son’s bride wore it in her hair; she said she could feel my mother’s presence. It’s like my mother has been brought back to me.”

Her story is really moving to me and now a wider audience will see how she honored her mother’s memory. I loved being part of that story in a tiny way.

Thanks Dr. Oz for sharing Debra’s story.

Calla Gold

Copy courtesy of Hearst Media Dr Oz  The Good Life Copyright 2015