My son had shown signs that all was not right in his world, but what he told me was not anything I had ever expected to hear from my only child. I think I was momentarily in shock, the revelation was so unexpected. Of course, looking back from a distance of a few years, I wonder about my failure to see signs of what was to come. But, as I told everyone, including myself, this was not even on my radar. I was lost, and so was my husband. Our child was not dying, but was actually coming to life as the person she truly was. This was a development that eventually we would celebrate and honor, but it took a while. This is our story, the story of one transgender woman coming to life, and how her family transitioned along with her.