When my husband and I returned from our Greek Isles cruise last week ,we got the news no parent should ever hear. Our oldest child, and only girl, had passed away.
It was a shock after she’d successfully gotten through health challenges earlier in the spring and was home recovering. We immediately had to switch to a different mode making plans to travel to her home town. All we do could do was focus on getting there and making it through the service.
I first met Shannon, or S1 as she was known in a previous cruise recap, 25 years ago when dating her dad. She already was married and had three kids living about an hour or so away from us. Nonetheless over time we got to know, respect and care for each other very much.
Shannon had a special position in the family. She was the first girl in three generations only to be followed by brothers and male cousins. When I married into the family, I brought even more boys! She was also the closest of my husband’s three kids to him. I’ll always remember the way she’d say “Hi, Dad” every week when she called him.
She was not only our loved one as she also left a husband, mother, four children, brothers and a soon to be born granddaughter. Everyone was devastated by her passing and are still in early stages of grief.
From my past experiences, I know the acute pain of her loss will diminish over time although our memories of Shannon and love for her won’t. For now, we’re taking it one day at a time.
Shannon, you will live on in the hearts and memories of everyone who had the honor of knowing you. This good-bye is not forever, but until we meet again in heaven.
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