Wilbrod Joseph Ferron, aka: "Bill", the youngest and 15th child of Jean-Baptiste Ferron and Rose Delima (Mathieu) was born 20 August 1910 at 175 Tremont Street, Fall River, Bristol County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.. How hard it must have been for him as young boy to grow up seeing his older and beloved sister- Marie Rose Ferron suffer under the weight of the cross of her beloved Jesus! In the beginning, it must have been very confusing and even scary for him to see the older adults trying to care for and help Rose, not knowing exactly what was happening to her or what to do or how to help her. If the adults didn't know what to do or how to help her, how could he? All he could do was watch.. It had to be a very confusing and worrisome time for the Ferron family and all he could do was watch while the others did their best to care for Rose. The first documentation I found of Rose being sick was after Jesus had appeared to her and gave her the "Supplication of Sinners" prayer at 175 Tremont street, Fall River, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA., when she was 7 years old (24 May 1909-23 May 1910: could've been about Xmas time 1909 as in the book a Nun had spoke of her being an "Angel" in a play) and she insisted and got out of a sick bed to play a part in a play so she wouldn't let her other classmates down. The next one I found spoke of when she was 12 (24 May 1914-23 May 1915), she had been working as a nursemaid for a lawyers kids and in the spring (probably about Lent 1915) on her day off she made her father lunch, and walked in the slushy snow to give it to her father. She came home and was ill that night with fever. The next morning she couldn't even go to school and when she awoke she had no use of her left leg or her right hand-they were completely crippled. When she was 15,(24 May 1917-24 May 1918), on a Sunday, Rose was in St. Roch Parish, Pine St., Fall River, Ma. when St. Magella interceded for her & healed her crippled right hand. Since Wilbrod was about 4 years old, he had to sit aside and could only watch each time a new "illness" would come upon his sister. He, himself, said that he remembered clearly when he was 8 years old & Rose was 17, (sometime between 24 May 1919- 19 August 1919) that Rose had become seriously ill, (became invalid in 1915) and was never the same since! He spoke clearly of that time period and how she was admitted into the hospital for "shock therapy in bath" treatments that were done in hopes to alleviate her feet problems and how they didn't work, the hospital discharged her and a short time thereafter "red, swellings like lash marks" appeared all over her legs etc... (quote/unquote). Rose had stated she remembered being bedrid the summer of 1919, hearing other children having fun outside her window and she suddenly saw herself feeling left out. So, the young Wilbrod aka "Bill" felt much grief seeing his beloved sister suffer and the others about him in their worries to care for Rose. He was a perfect eyewitness of first-hand account! As he & Rose got older, I can only imagine what he thought as Rose's sufferings increased! By 1925 Rose was totally bedrid at the age of 23 & Wilbrod was just 15! The next 4-5 years Rose would be a true test on the Ferron family as Rose's stigmata would increase here & new ones would appear. She would receive the Crown of Thorns, Jesus's heart & side wound, the wounds of the feet & hands, and flagellation all over her body. Rose would become 1/150 stigmatics known in the world & 1/30 to have all of Jesus's wounds!! The numbers gets even less when you count that she had all 5 of his wounds and more! For a 15-20 year old young man, to be a witness to this, had to be trying but Bill never waivered as he always believed in his sister! He loved her dearly and stood beside her caring and loving her. He even helped his father out by taking on jobs to help support the family. Through all this, the Ferron family had to also be a witness to economic hard times. WW1 came & went but left the country in a financial hardship. Families were struggling to even get by, never mind caring for one who had any physical disabilities. Rose had not been able to eat very well since pre-25 May 1925. She could choke and die at any time. The Ferrons were constantly trying to find different foods and ways to help Rose keep her food down without choking to death. That had to be costly in a time where prices were high, pay was low, and a large family to support with one who had special diet care needs! Bill witnessed many trials, many sufferings, and many tears. That's not to say there were not happy times in the Ferron family for they were a good natured family and despite it all tried to enjoy life. They loved eachother & supported each other dearly. The children would dance as the family sang songs. Rose, of course, could not dance when her feet took the weight of the cross on and they became twisted with bones piercing through her feet but she enjoyed watching the others and sang with them. They sat around told jokes and enjoyed laughter. They embraced life with love. In the 1930 Woonsocket, RI. census, it says that Wilbrod was the only sibling living with Rose left at home. He was about 20 years old and worked still helping support the family. He married Doris Dorval or Duval sometime after 1930 and she would die in Woonsocket, RI. on 06 Feb 1960. Wilbrod then, remarried a 2nd time to a Annette Unknown of Central Falls, RI. sometime after his 1st wife's death and remained married til his death. The two books I have read on Rose state that at one time, Wilbrod, his wife, and other family members were visiting on a Pilgrimage near the old home in Quebec, Canada, when something moved Wilbrod to remind him of Little Rose's life and sufferings and he broke down in tears from the weight of the memory. Oh, how he loved his sister, and it tormented his heart to be a witness. Wilbrod died 11 February 1980 and was supposed to be buried with his 1st wife Doris (Dorval) who died 06 February 1960 and is buried in the same cemetary as his older sisters & parents- Precious Blood Cemetary, Woonsocket, Providence, R.I., U.S.A. but his 2nd wife Annette, whom he married after 06 Feb 1960, had him buried in SECTION #8, GRAVE #711, 10TH ROW FROM BACK SECTION, of NOTRE DAME CEMETARY, PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND, U.S.A.. His 2nd wife survived him. Another Ferron had joined Little Rose in Heaven to unite with their Jesus.∼Enlistment Date 1: 9 Nov 1943
Release Date 1: 7 Oct 1944