Utilizing the Power of Social Media

I never thought I’d tweet Justin Bieber.

I joined the Twitters to connect with fellow writers and bloggers, not celebrities. Plus, I’m just not a big fan of the Biebs.

But then, I’m also not a 10-year-old girl.

Margaret is a 10-year-old girl. And like many other girls her age, she adores Justin Bieber.

Unlike many girls her age, however, Margaret recently experienced a loss that no 10-year-old could possibly fathom – the tragic and senseless death of her 12-year-old brother, Jack.

I learned of Jack’s passing when I stumbled upon the blog An Inch of Gray after noticing the blogosphere rallying around its author – Jack’s mother, Anna – on Twitter. Curious, I investigated further and was horrified to learn that Jack had been swept away during the floods in Virginia last month.

I left Anna a note of condolence during my visit, and then fled her blog and did not return… an act of pure cowardice on my part. I simply cannot read about the death of a child without feeling as if I’ve had the wind knocked out of me; like someone is standing on my chest while simultaneously choking me around the neck. Such stories bring to light my own single worst fear – and that of any parent, I’d assume – and raise such questions as, “How does one cope?” and “How does one go on?” Questions that I would really prefer not to think about and pray I never have to answer.

So, I fled.

I fled and stuck my head in the sand and covered my ears and shut my eyes and sang the proverbial, “LALALALALALALA!” as I tend to do whenever such macabre stories appear in the news. I fled to distance myself from the overwhelming grief saturating Anna’s blog, all the while telling myself that this was the sort of thing that happened to others, not to me. Not to my family.

But I haven’t been able to stop thinking about Anna.

Anna never thought it could happen to her, either.

And that’s why it hit so close to home.

I finally visited Anna’s blog again last week, moved to do so by my bloggy friend, Elena, of Mommy is in Timeout.

In a heartfelt post, Elena linked to a recent grocery list written by little Margaret that included, among other items, Cheerios, applesauce, a private concert from Justin Bieber… and her brother, Jack.

The sweet innocence mingled with hopeful exuberance in that list just kind of hits you right in the gut, doesn’t it?

Sadly, no one can bring back Jack. But the collective voices of those in social media can and often do wield a certain amount of power. And so a bit of a movement has begun to make that Justin Bieber concert happen for 10-year-old Margaret – something that would no doubt put a smile back on her face during this difficult time.

Here are some things we can do to help make it happen:

• Follow @JBLiftMargaret on Twitter and help them through retweets.

• Follow the hashtag #LiftMargaret on Twitter and retweet the message.

• Send a few tweets of your own. I’ve included some suggestions – all you have to do is copy and paste (the bit.ly link goes directly to Anna’s grocery list post).

Hey @JustinBieber, please help put a smile back on a 10yo’s face after the tragic loss of her brother: http://j.mp/qhm5jN #LiftMargaret

Hey @JustinBieber and @thellenshow (or @todayshow), please help a 10yo smile again after the tragic loss of her brother: http://j.mp/qhm5jN #LiftMargaret

(Editor’s Note: Justin Bieber is scheduled to appear on The Ellen Show on November 1 and The Today Show on November 23.)  

• Tweet the plea to other helpful connections such as @scooterbraun (his manager), @studiomama (his mom), and/or @bieberarmy (fan club)

• Consider writing your own post about the #LiftMargaret movement. The more people who see and spread the message, the better.

• Write on Justin Bieber’s Facebook fan page and link to Anna’s grocery list post.

And if you have any connections to Justin Bieber, use them.

***

So. I did tweet Justin Bieber.

And while visiting Anna’s blog last week, I did some tentative lurking. Stepping outside my own comfort zone, I read her raw and utterly heartbreaking account of the night Jack died, the beautiful tribute she gave at his service, and a friend’s description of Anna’s strength under the weight of a seemingly crushing pain.

Many people – myself included – can’t even bear the thought of such unimaginable loss, let alone the reality of it. Yet this woman is choosing to face such a reality head-on, firmly grounded in her undying love for her son and her unwavering faith in God.

I may never know that kind of courage. But Margaret will, through the example set by her mother.

Won’t you help me put the power of social media to the test in an effort to make one of Margaret’s dreams come true, so that Anna may know a little bit of joy again as experienced through her daughter?

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