Wednesday October 20, 2021; 10:54 AM EDT
- Wanted to share a few stories of my Mom. #
- Think back to your earliest, most vivid memory. For me, i was five years old and trapped.#
- I remember feeling peaceful, yet cold. Without any sound. i was stuck and didn't know what had happened. A second ago I was tunneling a hole in a huge snow drift on the front sidewalk of our house. It was like being swept over by a big wave at the beach. Only this was cold and not moving off of me. Everything was silent and white. Then it all went dark. I awoke with my mom staring down at me yelling my name. She had to "bribe" me to go to the hospital. I was scared to go there. She promised me a mickey mouse watch that someone had shown at show and tell the past week. #
- It wasn't until much later did I learn how she got me out of that drift. She was inside and felt a shock. David wasn't in the back yard where he normally plays. Looking around she had a feeling something was wrong and that I had gone to the front yard. Without any shoes she ran outside yelling my name. She got nearby neighbors' attention and they started poking holes in the snow with the handle side of their shovels. The snow drifts were at least six feet deep. #
- Then they found me and dug me out. Someone called 911. I was unconscious at first, but woke after she yelled my name several times. She had to bribe me to get me to go in the ambulance. #
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- When I needed her most, Mom was there for me. #
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- And if you were close to my Mom, I'm sure you would remember a time she was there for you, even in some small way. #
- Whether it's from feeling down and needing someone to talk to you. Or her complimenting you in some way that lifted you up or something funny she said to lighten the situation. #
- Her empathetic ear, loving ways, and humor would lift you up. Mom's heart was filled by spending time with family and friends.#
- Whether it was visiting her sisters and brothers in White Bear Lake. Taking all her nieces and nephews to Valley Fair. Christmas gatherings. Vacations to Hawaii, California, Florida, and going back home to Minnesota and Wisconsin. #
- Mom loved moving to warmer climate and the friendly people of The Villages. It was a really good change for both her and my Dad. She loved watching sunsets with my Dad, going on walks, dancing in the town squares and meeting with friends and family.#
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- She valued every day. #
- Its been over a month now since she passed. And we miss her immensely. #
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- While her nature was caring and loving, she also knew when to be more forceful#
- When I was about nine, I was a pretty shy kid. Had just a few close friends. She heard about some "computer coding" class over the summer. Taking summer school in the middle of July with none of my friends was the last thing I wanted to do. She pushed me to do it. Now there might have been a little bribe but she got me in there. Back then computers were only in labs so this was my first real time making stuff on a computer. And after the first time I was completely hooked. Today I can thank her pushing me and setting a spark for my career the last 20 years! #
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- One of the last times I spoke with her she was only there a little bit. The facility had been dealing with covid outbreak so my dad and i had to wear shield, gown, gloves in addition to a mask. i went to hold her hand and she recognized something was off. "This isnt right", she said as she shook my hand. i took my glove off and she smirked and chuckled a bit.
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- The past ten years or so Mom went through a lot. Breast cancer, heart attacks, broken hips, multiple surgeries and parkinson's disease. She fought through it all.
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- And I think she just wanted to experience more, another holiday or birthday, seeing her grandkids or visiting with Richard/Diane/Carol. That's what kept her going. Wanting to just be a part of things and love life more.#
- She loved everyone deeply in her life and we will keep her spirit in us now. #