She is “Nana” to sixteen and “Mama” to three, but she will tell you that she is “Mama” to all nineteen of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
To Gulfport native Carlene Carter, 62, family is everything. Married for just shy of 40 years, she also feels very strongly about the commitment of marriage. “If you don’t work together, it’s not going to work,” Carlene said. This is the advice that she gives her children.
Carlene has a particularly close relationship with her granddaughter Gabby, who is a reminder to her of her husband who passed away four years ago. “Gabby was 3 years old when her grandfather died,” Carlene said. “When he was still alive, she made every step he did. She loved him with all her being; that is what we both miss most.”
Carlene has played a large role in Gabby’s life. From the time Gabby was born prematurely and weighing only two pounds, Carlene has been there supporting her. She feels that Gabby has been the same strength and support for her.
After Carlene’s husband died, she was struggling to pay the rent and utilities in the house she was renting. The house was damaged during Hurricane Katrina, and was slated to be torn down. At this point, Carlene began looking for a place to live.
In October 2006, Carlene moved into a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment, where Gabby has her own room for her weekend visits. Gabby’s room is an 8-year-old’s paradise, filled with colorful stuffed animals and Bible story books. One wall of the room is covered with Gabby’s framed honor roll certificates.
While Carlene can escape into her granddaughter’s world for small periods of time, health issues make life a bit more difficult for Carlene. Her two strokes and recurring nerve pain from neurofibronal tumors prevent her from driving and walking long distances. It is the love of family and an accommodating place to live that allow Carlene to overlook her challenges and be filled with joy.
She said that the reduced rent at her apartment complex has helped her to experience a better quality of life than she could have living anywhere else in Gulfport. “It has been a struggle since my husband died,” Carlene said. “I do get depressed. But, this is the first time that I have been totally by myself and I feel really safe here.”
For more information on projects like this at the Mississippi Home Corporation, please visit their website.
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