This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Riverdale resident Hillari Cragun knows how quickly and drastically life can change.
In August of 2009, she was married and not sure if she ever would be a mother. By September of the next year, she was the mother of three young children and a widow.
Hillari Rock and her would-be husband Mark Cragun grew up in Morgan and attended High School together. They started dating after Mark returned from an LDS church mission, and married five years later, in December of 2001.
The couple waited a couple of years before trying to start a family, but when pregnancy did not happen, Hillari wasn't too concerned. She always had considered adoption or fostering as a way to have a family.
The Cragun's gave their adoption profile to attorneys and years passed with no results. "I hadn't totally given up, but thought, 'I guess my nieces and nephews will have to do,'" Hillari Cragun said.
In August of 2009, Hillari got a call from her attorney, who told her three children were available for immediate adoption. The Craguns decided to adopt, and the process moved quickly. They flew to Saipan to meet their children, Miyuki, 9, Montana, 8 and Niyah, 6.
Taking the children from their home was the hardest thing she had ever done, Cragun said. "We went to the house where they lived with their mom and dad and siblings. There were seven children in all. The mom just wanted more for her kids and decided to place the three youngest for adoption."
The children were told in advance they were being adopted and moving to the United States but it was hard for them to leave their brothers and sisters. "They were very poor but it wasn't like I was taking them away from a family that abused them. It was so hard for me to take them away from their brothers and sisters. It broke my heart. I wanted to take all of them," said a tearful Cragun.
She was impressed how her husband handled the situation. "He told the father how honored we were that they were giving their children to us and that we would do our very best to give them a good life."
Once back in Utah, the Cragun's adjusted from being a couple to a family with three children. The stress at times was overwhelming for both parents and children. Three months later, Mark was laid off from his job and became a stay-at-home dad. Hillari went back to work full-time.
During this time, Mark had health problems which required abdominal surgery. To add to the crisis, there was a flood in their home and the house required major repairs. In addition, Mark totaled his car.
When the Cragun's thought they could endure no more, Mark's health improved, the house repairs were finished and on Sept. 9, 2010, the children's adoption was finalized.
"We were feeling good," Cragun said.
Two days after the adoption was final, on Sept. 11, Niyah, their youngest child was set to be baptized at the LDS church next to their home. "It was a crazy day trying to get ready. I asked Mark to go to the copy center and get the programs printed. He got back and was changing clothes.
"I took the kids and walked to the church. About 10 minutes later, Mark still hadn't come. I sent one of the neighbors to tell him to hurry," Cragun said.
The neighbor ran back to the church and told Hillari that Mark was locked in the bathroom. Hillari hurried home, unlocked the door and found Mark unconscious on the floor.
Despite CPR by her father and paramedics, Mark died. The cause of death was uncertain, but he had had seizures in months preceding his death.
Now, the stress of being a single mom and widow is often overwhelming for Cragun. "Sometimes it's hard to get up in the morning but I do it. I have the best kids in the world and I feel like sometimes they are the ones taking care of me."
The last 18 months has challenged her more then she thought she could endure. "I've grown a lot. I think Montana said it best. He said 'Mom, are you sad?' I said 'yes' and he said 'I get that way too but it's going to be OK.'"