For us and for many thousands of families the government cutbacks are personal. Many stellar young people will be in the job market. No doubt some held frivolous government positions, but most were skilled, intelligent hires like the young people in my family who had studied and worked hard at meaningful careers.

Every parent gets “the call.” It’s either the one you’ve eagerly awaited or the one that chills you to your bones. Hopefully it’s not the one that haunts your dreams. The signal is coded in your child’s voice, the voice you know so well.

I’ve had those calls from my children, but this time it was from my nephew who is like a grandson to me. His parents have issues, so throughout his teens and early adulthood I’ve been his confidant and supporter.

I had been anxiously waiting for the call and Jesse’s voice was brimming with joy and exhaustion. After 33 hours of labor and an unexpected C-section, his first child was born—a perfect little boy, Theo. His dear wife was also fine. He cried with relief and abounding love.

Just one week later the call was quite different. It was not the proud daily update I expected. When I heard his voice, I knew. “What’s wrong?”

“We just got the calls. Syd and I have been fired. It’s part of the government cutbacks.”

Both he and his wife took jobs at the same company when they moved to Ohio ten months before. It was a successful company but dependent on government grants.

My nephew was once again close to tears. “I am responsible for Theo, for my family.” I tried to be supportive, but reality is reality. It was going to be tough to find a job in a market flooded with newly fired government workers.

I reflected on the thousands of parents and loved ones across the country who received these calls in the last few weeks.

We quickly called our grandson who was about to receive his doctorate in May. Drew would be depending on grants to fund his post-doctoral fellowship at Duke University.Thankfully he reported that his primary grant was in the bank. We were relieved. This brilliant scientist had also received offers abroad, and we wanted to keep him and his bride closer to home.

Drew was grieving for his fellow scholars who were not so fortunate. Their plans had fallen into disarray. Many would be forced out of the country.

Our next call was to another grandson who was chosen by his professor at NC State for a grant-funded summer research job in genetics. He was too busy studying for his Organic Chemistry II class to check on it. He was determined not to get his first B.

For us and for many thousands of families the government cutbacks are personal. Many stellar young people will be in the job market. No doubt some held frivolous government positions, but most were skilled, intelligent hires like the young people in my family who had studied and worked hard at meaningful careers.

Many of those out of work are like my nephew and his wife who do not work for the government but for contracted companies dependent on government projects. The pain spirals out across the country.

Please keep these unemployed workers in your thoughts. The pain is real.

Donna Prunkl