There are events that happen in a person’s life that forever alter the course of their life and change them forever. Velice “Simone” Greenidge knows that all too well. Her life-changing experience occurred 13 years ago when her son Xavier was born. She was already a mother of three, and considered herself a pro at raising children. So having another child, at 38, didn’t seem like a monumental task. That was until she gave birth to her son and found out that he had a severe form of cerebral palsy.
It wasn’t the diagnosis she was prepared for after having all healthy children previously, but Velice rose to the occasion. Xavier was blind and he couldn’t walk or talk, so he was entirely dependent on his mother for care. With her older children all grown up and on their own, this single mother depended on God to sustain her.
“When you have God in your life, everything runs smoothly. I really couldn’t work, but I was never out in the cold or hungry, and there was always money in my purse – even if it was five dollars,” she said. “Xavi was my everything, and I loved him unconditionally.”
Though she did have love and unwavering support for him, at times – as one would expect – she did wonder why this was her cross to bear. She does credit Xavi for urging her to recommit her life to God, something she did years ago.
“The answer for me was that I had this love in me,” Velice said. “I think, too, that I am a special person, and God gives these children to special people. He knew I would love Xavi. I took care of him 24/7. When he got older, moving him around was hard because he was solid and he didn’t like his special wheelchair. But God used to give me the strength.”
God knew that Velice would need His strength to sustain her last October when Xavier died from complications from the cerebral palsy. While he was in the hospital, she moved in there with him and refused to leave his side.
“He died on the 15th of October, a Saturday night, but before that a voice came and told me to get these clothes together,” she revealed. “I have those clothes where he used to lie, and no one can go in Xavier’s bed. I told the undertaker I wanted to dress him, and I held him to my breast and put him in the casket. I needed to do that for my own sense of closure. I guess at the funeral people probably thought that I would have broken down, but God held me up. But that day I made him a promise that I would come to his grave every week and on his birthday and special occasions.”
Velice has kept her word. For the Christmas holiday, she decorated his grave, complete with tinsel and angels.
“I came here and painted these rocks,” she said, pointing to the white rocks that surround his grave.
While she has resolved that Xavi is in a better place with the Lord, she says that this year is going to be hard without him.
“This child was such a wonderful child. If I had to go out and I left him with anybody, he would sleep until time for me to come back. Right before I stepped through the door he would open his eyes,” she recalled. “One of the things I always asked God for was to take Xavi before He took me, and He allowed it. I really thank Him for the time He gave me with Xavi. If I had to do it all over again, I would do it.”
