girl, was the eldest of the lovelace kids. >> i remember being at school. i remember getting a call from the office that i was getting picked up, and i was like -- and in my mind, i thought, oh, maybe my mom went to the hospital. she didn't feel good, the days prior. maybe she just -- >> yeah? >> had to go to the hospital. like, it's fine. >> reporter: but once inside the principal's office, her father broke the news. >> and told me that my mom had died, and i just remember, then on, my world crashing down. >> did you say, what had happened? what's going on? >> i'm sure i asked what had happened. i just remember crying and not believing it, and so we went -- we left and we went to my grandma's house, and i was like, i wanna go back to school, and i went back to school. >> and you did, on the day you lost your mom? >> cause that was normal for me. it was a normalcy thing. >> reporter: and, in hindsight, she says, the best thing she could have done. her favorite teacher had something for her. >> and she actually had wolf pups. she had a friend who was caring for wolf pups.