12. Mary Couldn’t Leave Her Bed After Her Son Willie Passed Away
Willie Lincoln is considered to be the favorite son of Mary. No one knows why she doted on Willie more than Robert, Tad, or Edward, but she would often tell people that Willie was her favorite. This might be one reason Mary couldn’t function after Willie’s passing.
Mary struggled with Willie’s death so much that she couldn’t bring herself to attend the funeral. Grief-stricken himself yet needing to help the country through a Civil War, Abraham couldn’t care for his wife. Therefore, he hired a nurse to attend to Mary’s needs and make sure she ate and drank water.