8/18/2015
After an amazingly courageous battle with cancer, we lost Carrie late last week. She was home with hospice care for about 6 weeks, with me as the main caregiver, after her amazing comeback at UW Medical Center in mid-July. The support from every direction was remarkable. There was a constant stream of love pouring over Carrie in her last few weeks. Meals kept coming, and so did friends and family. I can't imagine how anyone could go about this alone; it's hard enough with a high level of support. There are many words of gratitude I need to share with so many of you, and I would much rather save those words for a face-to-face conversation, so I'll wait until then.
Astrid, June, and West have been getting along okay. Having lost my father at the age of 7, I remember how difficult it was, and continues to be, dealing with that loss. They have a strong support system moving forward, and will receive all the love and attention they deserve. They are amazing. They lift my spirits, and I strive to lift theirs. Each one of them share characteristics, physically and behaviorally, with Carrie; and in that I know they will survive. They are so well balanced, practical, smart, funny, talented, and strikingly beautiful, just like their mother.
I can't believe she is gone. She is no longer suffering. She'll be one with the Earth again, just like she wished.
I'm so sorry for all of you who didn't know Carrie. Shit, she was the coolest, smartest, kindest, and most thoughtful person I ever met. I loved her from the first time I saw her, and will love her until the day I join her. I'll remember what she told me about raising our children, and her desires for them. She'll always be here in my heart and mind. She taught me so much. So much.
I am so sorry for Paul and Kyle, Carrie's parents, and the rest of her family. They lost something really special, but gained 37 years of joy along the way. What a gift it has been to be a part of the family. I may have lost my Father in 1984, but I gained a Father and a beautiful Mother on December 28, 2002, along with the extended family. I love all of you, and the ones we have lost along the way. I learned something from each and every one of you.
Carrie lit up any room she walked into. She'd kick me in the shin for saying this, but she was the party; she was all that was happening when she was around. She was something special. Everyone I talk to tells me something they either learned from Carrie, or advice they'd taken from her. She was wise beyond her years, she was compassionate and empathetic, and she could party and/or drop the perfect joke at the drop of a dime.
Carrie set the world on fire with her determination, frankness, and grit; and she'd be happy to know that we live by her example; never take the moment for granted; always ask questions; and never take shit from anyone. This is your life.
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| Carrie at the Engle Wedding, July 2010 |
