Buddy’s mom Mary was back in town from Florida and she wanted to go to the bakery for her first visit. It was a treat for everyone to see her. Buddy was very emotional because he revealed that his mom was not doing very well. She was diagnosed with ALS (aka: Lou Gehrig’s disease) and it was taking an emotional toll on the very close knit family. The horrible nature of the disease was discussed. Her use of her hands and her walking was very labored and she promised to never give up. Everyone prayed for the best and Buddy told him Mom, through tears, that she was the reason he was the man he is today. The whole family was very sad and Buddy had to step up to take charge of the family on a different level than just the business side.

Momma’s cake

Buddy decided to make a cake for his mom. He wanted to use the baking as therapy for the situation and create a one of a kind cake to celebrate Easter with his mom. Buddy wanted to try something new with a caramel butter cream. Buddy wanted the cake to be absolute perfect. Building the cake was a great release for the stress and heartache Buddy was feeling. It gave him some short lived relief from such a difficult situation. Buddy lost himself in the cake and it turned out beautiful. It was an amazing, elegant cake.

Mary went to the doctor in New Jersey for a check on the disease’s progress. The family continued to talk about how hard it was to see their very strong mother get frustrated by everyday tasks we all take for granted. Buddy’s sister Madeline was in charge of Easter dinner and she was pulling out all the stops. Buddy visited his mom to ask her to accept his help. She refused to accept that she needed more help or that there was not a cure. Buddy has accepted the inevitable, but his mom refused to give up and she broke down in tears at the thought of what was happening to her. She was becoming trapped in her own body and it was very sad to watch.

Easter dinner was great. The spread of food was insane. It looked amazing and everyone was in very good spirits. Buddy brought the cake out and explained the unique flavor of the cake. Buddy and his mom made the first cut. Mary tasted the cake and she loved the new flavor. The cake was a hit and Buddy decided to start making it at the store. The family then held its annual Easter egg hunt and the kids were having fun. Mother Mary seemed to forget about the disease for a few moments as she watched her grandkids run around looking for eggs.

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