Letting go

When Fort beat cancer for the third time (Stage 4) she invited me to go out with her rugby friends to celebrate! Amazingly enough, going home we all fit in that cab behind us.

Last night was the visitation and today was the funeral for my friend, Fort. We were halfway through the line at the visitation and a staff member said there were already 800 there! The church was packed, and it was one of those huge downtown-type churches. It was an amazing tribute to the person she was, and the effect she had on others! I know that the people who visit this site come to find out what the boys are up to, so I apologize if this isn't what you're looking for. There is a connection, though!

When I was growing up my parents surrounded me and my siblings with good friends of theirs. I believe these people played a big role in the development of who I am today. I want the same for my kids. I know that Kevin and I can't provide them with everything they need to become well-rounded, well-adjusted people, but with the help of our friends and family, I believe this is possible.

Already, so many of you are involved in the boys' lives and we are so very grateful for that. They learn so much from you and sincerely love having you around. One of the people I was hoping the boys would get to know as they grew up was my friend, Fort. As I've said before, and as some of you know, she was hilarious and caring and loved life. She had an impossibly optimistic attitude toward everything, and this is something that I believe is extremely important.

So, I want to thank you for being a part of mis tres hijos' lives, and people like Fort will continue to be because I will tell the boys about her and she will live on through my memories.


P.S. If you have a few minutes, this is a great essay that talks about growing older, and one of the things you go through with friends--cancer.

Edited: It turned out that there were 1,500 people that came to the visitation, and I know some had to leave because they couldn't wait as long as they'd like. There wasn't an official count for church, but I hope Fort's looking down and knows that she was loved by many.

If you'd like to read Fort's story (or pass along to someone this might be of interest to) her second blog is on this side of this post labeled under "Links to Friends' Blogs." The link to her first blog is here, and this begins when she found out she relapsed for the first time.