Emma Grace Foege: 2026

💖

Now that you have reached the age of eighteen, you are legally an adult and free to make your own decisions about the direction of your life. With that freedom also comes the ability to ask any questions you wish, explore ideas that interest you, and seek truth and understanding wherever it may lead you. No one can legally prevent you from learning, researching, or forming your own views about the past, the present, or your future. That freedom belongs entirely to you now.

I’m writing with an open heart and an open door. There has been a great deal of distance and silence over the years. Being separated from family since such a young age—since around seven years old—can have complicated effects on a person. Psychologically and emotionally, it can shape how memories are formed and how stories are understood. Physiologically and even physically, long periods of stress or conflict during childhood can influence how someone processes information, relationships, and trust. None of that is a criticism or a judgment of you. It is simply the reality that when children grow up surrounded by strong narratives or difficult circumstances, it can take time in adulthood to examine those experiences with fresh perspective.

The important thing is that adulthood brings the opportunity to look at things for yourself. You can ask questions, explore different viewpoints, and evaluate the past with your own eyes and your own judgment. That kind of independent thinking is a powerful and healthy part of becoming an adult.

💔 I also wanted to share some difficult news. Your grandfather has passed away. Below are links to information and a small slideshow that includes several photographs from his life. If you choose to look through them, you will see the kind of person he was to the people around him.

Your grandfather loved you very much. That love was constant, even during the years when distance made it impossible to show in ordinary ways. He was also an extraordinary source of strength for your grandmother. After she endured the heartbreaking loss of her son and her granddaughter at the same time, he stood beside her with remarkable steadiness and compassion. He became, in many ways, a backbone of steel for her—a quiet fortress of support for someone who loved her family so deeply. Now, with his passing, she has also lost the partner who helped her carry that weight.

Sometimes photographs tell stories that words struggle to capture. If you take the time to look through them, you may see moments of care, protection, and love that have always existed for you, even during years when unfortunate circumstances and people kept us apart.

There is no pressure in writing this—only an invitation. As an adult, you now have the freedom to seek answers, ask questions, and decide for yourself what relationships and connections you want to explore. If you ever wish to reach out, learn more, or simply talk, that door is open.

Wherever your path leads, I hope it brings you clarity, understanding, and the space to form your own view of the people and history around you.

With kindness- and as always,

Auntie DDé

Links and Slideshow:

In Memory Of Lawrence "Bud" Kline - your grandfather

Slideshow with Bud, family and friends...