Wendy Blake I Women's History Month

Today, for the Women's History Month Project, we are celebrating the 18th woman of the month

Meet this beautiful lady, Wendy Blake, 59, mother of 2, grandmother of 3, a happily retired warrior..

Wendy Blake-Burden was born on March 1st 1963 to George and Faith Hogan. She had 4 brothers, George, Stuart, Danny and Micheal. They all lived together, here in Old Orchard Beach their whole adolescent and teenage lives. When she was 12 her parents bought a little store/ice cream shop in town.Her and her brothers helped work, fix up and build the small new business into the community conveinant/sandwhich shop it became. Her whole school career was pretty normal. It was filled with friends, family,sports, get togethers, raising hell and having fun. In high school is where she is where she met Thomas Blake JR., her soon to be husband and father of her children. They had a whirlwind of a relationship.

After they graduated high school, She started working full time with her parents in the store and Thomas inlisted in the navy and was stationed in Norfolk Virgina. She quickly decided to pick up and move there to him. They immediately got married and had their first child, a daughter named Jade. After being there for a while, they both missed their friends,family, and the small town they grew up in. Tom decided not to re-inlist and thety moved back to Maine to settle down and start their life together.

Wendy's parents let the 3 of them move into her childhood home. The family of 3 quickly became a family of 4 when Wendy and Tom had their 2nd child, a boy, Thomas Blake III. Wendy's grandparents, lived in the apartment downstairs from the four of them. Dorothy and Louis Leddy were a staple in Wendy's life during the raising of her 2 young children. When she was a little girl, her grndmother used to always say to her, "if you lived to be 1,000, you'll never know how much Grammy loves you." her grandfather Louise passed away unexpectedly and her grandmother became very dependent on Wendy, physically, mentally, emotionally and financially.

Wendy worked at Peoples Heritage Bank for 10+ years. The Krazy Klam for 15+ years. And of course she was always helping her parents in the store wheneveer she wasn't working another job. She picked up jobs here and there all throughout her adult life to provide for her children.

Her marriage was having more downs then ups.The pressure of having 2 young children, taking care of Wendys grandmother, and having a hard time financally they could not make it work.so after 10 long years they decided on divorce. They both went their separate ways and Wendy was now a single mother of 2 young children and knew things were not going to be easy.

She found out at a young age that she had health issues. From heart attacks, to blood clots, to by passes, to stents, to blockages, to rehab therapy. Those were just some of her health scares. In her early 30's she noticed some weakness in her left leg, a limp. she didn't think anything of it but decided to get it checked out. It was then, that her whole life stopped for a moment. The quick appointment that was going to be nothing, was now talking about the Blood Clots and the Blockage she had in her left leg. and Because if this, Blood wasn't flowing correcxtly to her heart and she would need a 5-way heart bypass as well. This was the scariest thing she had ever gone through to date. After the bypass and clot removal, she spent 30 days in physical therapy rehab. After being home for a short period and working hard to regain her strength, she had a heart attack and had to undergo yet another huge operation. This bypass really debilitated her physically, emotionally and mentally. While recovering in the hospital she contracted a staff infection and had to undergo yet another operation. This time, the doctor let her know there would be a 50/50 chance of survival because her body was already so weak from the last surgery she just had a week ago. This was the absolutely the most terrifying thing she had ever gone through.

Would she survive? would the operation even be successful if she does survive? How long would she be in rehab this time? who would take care of her kids? will she be able to see them grow up? Who would financially take over? so many scary but very real questions.

After surviving the biggest, longest, and scariest operation of her life she was now going to live life to the fullest. She met her 2nd husband Charles Burden from Bath Maine. They instantly connected and had some of the best times together. They really completed eachother and wished they would have met sooner. They were briefly married when Charlie passed away unexpectedly. She believes that Charlie coming into her life helped her to stay positive, work to stay healthy and always strive for their happily ever after.

Wendy has overcome so many trials and tribulations in her life and now lives a healthy smiple happy life with her kids, 3 grandchildren, who were the reason she fought so hard to live and come out of each and every operation above ground, and Her dog, Baldwin, who she could not live without. She makes sure she lives each day to the fullest and is so thankful she gets to help raise and watch her 3 grandchildren, Ian, 15, Ryder, 11 and Jaxson, 10 grow.

Wendy lives by this quote:

"Live to love, and love to live, live everyday as if it were your last"

*****

Thank you, Wendy, for sharing your journey with us all!

#whm #womenshistorymonth #womansupportingwomen #womanpower #mainewoman #mainephotographer

3 Comments

Apr 8, 2022, 8:47:41 AM

Cindy Smith Roussin - My dear dear Friend - yeah we raise a little hell indeed back in the day - you were and will always be such an amazing person, wonderful family woman and I thank God for having you in my life for so many years YOU ROCK GIRL congrats on this wonderful for you ! sending you my love

Mar 19, 2022, 9:47:12 PM

Caroline DiSanto - “Wow “Wendy you are an amazing women! I loved hearing about you’re journey & how positive &uplifting you made it.Always beautiful inside & out..As well as you’re Infectious laugh you have You go woman….. Love you Caroline ❤️

Mar 18, 2022, 9:30:59 PM

Lisa Mokarzel - You are awesome

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