Stoneham Woman an 'Unstoppable Mom'

Stoneham mother Liz Norden is a "super woman without a cape."

Norden's two sons, J.P. and Paul, each lost a leg in the Boston Marathon bombings last year. She has been their caregiver ever since.

Norden, who also overcame cervical cancer and worked several jobs to support her five children, was nominated as an "Unstoppable Mom" in a contest by "LIVE with Kelly and Michael."

The winner gets $100,000. Online voting starts Thursday.

Norden will appear on the show Friday at 9 a.m. when the winner will be announced. The show will air locally on WCVB-TV.

Below is Norden's nomination letter:

My mom is a super woman without a cape. She raised us 5 kids on her own, having to work 3 jobs just to make ends meet. In 25 years I can honestly say my mom never complains (unless one of the dogs make a mess!) When I was 17 years old my mom got diagnosed with cervical cancer, they scheduled surgery a week later for a radical hysterectomy.

Not giving us much time to prepare and I truly believed I was going to lose her. Scared to death she will tell me now but never letting us know at the time of. She would never want us to fear even if she feared for her life. Being the survivor that she is, and going to many treatments, she beat the cancer. Only proving once more how strong she really is. Now that us kids are old enough to be on our own my mom finally found time to do what she enjoys most: going to bingo and being a grandmother to my 5 year old niece Gabbie.

On April 15th, 2013 my two older brother's lost their right legs in the Boston Marathon bombing - a mother's true nightmare. My mother had to be in two places at once because both boys were in separate hospitals. J.p. was doing better in the beginning and Paul was in a coma for 8 days (everything that could go wrong did go wrong, we thought for sure he wasn't going to make it).  I don't believe she had a good night's sleep in the 2 months they were in the hospital then moved into rehab. My mom spent mothers day in Spaulding rehab, and her birthday worrying about JP's upcoming (very serious) surgery. J.P. lost below the knee so in order to save the knee joint had a lot of abrasives surgeries.

After rehab both boys 31 and 33 had to move home to relearn the simple things like walking all over again, this time with prosthetics. From cooking meals, to helping get in and out of the shower, to driving to the endless days of appointments my mother did it all and with a smile on her face. It was as though she had to start all over, like having small kids in the house again with needs you couldn't even imagine. Nine months later and she still hasn't had a good sleep, her worrying does not stop but in her words "it's just what a mother does."

My mom has never put herself before us and is the most selfless person you could ever be lucky enough to meet. My mom is my best friend, our family rock, and I don't think there is anyone more deserving than her! Please consider her to be your Mom so we can finally show her the recognition she deserves! Thanks!