When they were 18 months old, Hope kept getting out of her crib at night. No matter how many times she was told to stay in bed, she didn’t. Finally, Dr. Wray built a wall with storage bins next to her crib to keep her from getting out. He also took her favorite blanket and set it on the dresser. No sooner had he gone to bed than there was a giant crash from the triplets’ room. This time, it wasn’t Hope but one of the boys. He had climbed out of his crib, taken Hope’s blanket from the dresser and launched it over the makeshift wall. It was stuck on the top of the wall, and the crash was him falling as he quickly tried to get back into his crib. He was never the type to disobey but would do anything for his sister, even at that young age. When the triplets were toddlers, they were playing in the next room and Dina heard Hope say, “No, we aren’t going to play like that anymore. We are going to play this way.” In unison, the brothers said, “Okay, Hope.” They never questioned her leadership – she was wise beyond her years.
Once a babysitter was worried about telling the boys apart, or putting them in the wrong beds. The Wrays just pointed to their tiny daughter and said, “If you have any questions, just ask Hope. She knows what to do.”
As the younger siblings came along, Hope led the little troop with natural ease. On one occasion her parents overheard her telling her unruly younger twin siblings they were going to play church. Unsure of how they would react to being told what to play, their parents were surprised to hear them singing hymns moments later. She had a way of not just leading but charming everyone around her as well. To say she had her daddy wrapped around her little finger would be an understatement. “She was definitely a daddy’s girl,” said Dina. She idolized her father and wanted to be just like him. Dr. Wray does not like cheese, and, at the age of three, Hope declared she also would no longer be eating cheese. What advice does the couple have for those who don’t know what to say when a tragedy like this strikes? “I’ve learned that it is better to say something than to say nothing at all,” said Dr. Wray. “If someone asks how I’m doing with everything, it gives me a chance to share, a chance to talk about Hope.” Although they both admit that it can bring some pain, they love to talk about their daughter. “It is especially meaningful when people remember her – when they tell me stories about her or what they remember about her,” said Dina.
And through it all, life carries on. Dr. Wray continues doing amazing work at Great Plains Foot & Ankle Specialist and Dina runs her home with love and structure. “She really is supermom,” said Dr. Wray. “I may work eight to 10 hours a day, but she easily works double that.” Although they
are no longer living with Hope physically, the Wrays are holding onto hope – the hope that they will see their daughter again in the next life, and the joy and memories she brought to them during her short journey on earth.
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