"Our second chance
will come in heaven.
We will
miss you
so very much
sweetheart,
and look forward
to the day
we can be together again.
Love, Mom, Dad and Matt
Debra was born on March 8, 1966
and died on April 20, 2001 of a gunshot to the head.
She was a police officer from 1993
and she really loved her job;
her department was family to her.
She was injured in the line of duty in 1997
when she was called to a fire
in a domitory.
She put out the fire
but inhaled smoke and dust
from the extinguisher which caused
COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).
After a long fight and training,
she was able to work again until May of 2000.
She retired with honors in October 2000.
She made it until April of 2001
when she was so tired of fighting
and missed her greatest love -
"being a cop" so much,
she took her own way out.
This is the last thing she wrote:
My world is so white
White as a death shroud
Devoid of color
Stripped of purpose
Meaning sucked dry
Loved and joyful things ripped from me
Stolen secretly slowly
Until
All there is left
is to die
It is better to build a child
than to repair an adult.
We are connected, my child and I
by an invisible cord, not seen by the eye.
It's not like the cord that connects us til birth,
this cord can't be seen by any on earth.
This cord does it work right from the start,
it binds us together attached by my heart.
I know that it's there, though no one can see
the invisible cord from my child to me.
The strength of this cord is hard to describe,
it can't be destroyed, it can't be denied.
It's stronger than any cord man can create,
it withstands the tests, can hold any weight.
And though you are gone, though you're not here with me,
the cord is still there, but no one can see.
It pulls at my heart, I am bruised, I am sore,
but this cord is my lifeline as never before.
I am thankful that God connects us this way,
A parent and child, death can't take this away!
By: Terri Apostolakas
==================================
Erick,
I will never stop loving you and missing you
and long for the day when
we meet again.
I know you want me to stop crying,
we'll be together again,
but, forever is, now until then!
Rest in perfect peace, my love,
I hold you
close in my heart!
You were the first person to
give me the privileged title
of "Mom,"
I shall always cherish that!
"I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I am living, my
baby you'll be."
(Robert Munch)
Deeply loved and missed by
Mom & John
Your sister Jessica, 21
(you'll always be her "bro-bro")
Your brother Christopher, 19,
please help him along his journey with his
health, he always looked up to you.
We all hold you close forever,
thanks for the little whispers along the way,
I hear you and love you for them.
To bring you peace of mind,
I would have sold my soul.
To save your life,
I would have given mine.
When we are dead and people weep for us and grieve,
Let it be because we touched their lives in a special way.
Let it not be said that life was good to us but rather
we were good to life.
We should not measure life by its length but by the
value it gave.
Lives that have been intimately intertwined,
can not possibly be separated
without pain.
It is a miracle, nothing less than a miracle,
That flowers bloom every spring,
That living thing begets living thing
That we human beings immerge again and again
From ignorance to knowledge from hopelessness to
learning
From sadness to joy.
It is a miracle nothing less than a miracle.
They are not dead, those who leave us this heritage of
remembered joy
They still live in our hearts in the happiness we knew,
In the dreams that we shared.
They still breathe in the lingering fragrance,
Windblown by their favourite flowers.
They still smile in the moonlight silver
And laugh in the sunlight sparkling gold
They still speak in the echoes of words we have heard
them say again and
again.
They still dance in the rhythm of the grass and dance
in the branches of the
trees
They are not dead,
their memory is warm in our hearts,
comfort in our
sorrow.
They are not apart from us but a part of us.
For love is eternal and those we love shall be with us
for all Eternity.
From the reading by Robyn Lenehan - Civil Celebrant
(NSW Australia)
Cherished memories forever
Love from your Mum and Stepfather Peter, brother Tony,
Sisters Michaela and Kerryn
And your many nieces and nephews
Ben, with the long blond hair and blue eyes,
Looking kingly in his jeans and his concert
shirts,
As described by his peers, who considered him
their leader;
Admired by children, to whom he gave his
undivided attention;
Respected by adults, who were amazed by his
maturity and insight.
Ben, always considering himself as being the
outsider,
Never realizing the impact he had on all who knew
him.
Quiet, gentle, sensitive and reflective, with an
analytical mind;
Seldom expressing his unique and individualistic
viewpoints,
But given rapt attention whenever he did.
Ben, the talented writer, artist and musician
Who was never satisfied with his extraordinary
achievements,
Always thinking he could, and should, have done
better.
Ben, who had patience, tolerance and
understanding for all;
But none for himself - his perfectionism wouldn't
allow it.
Toned down through years of patient
home schooling,
It seemed to overpower him again when he attended
school,
So that he could see no hope for a normal, happy
future.
KEITH
They Have To Know That
Life Isn't Always What It Seems To Be
Words Can't Express What You Mean To Me
Even Though You Are Gone
We Are Still A Team
Through Meghan
I'll Fulfill Your Dreams
In The Future I Can't Wait To See
If You Open Up The Gates For Me
Reminisce All The Time
The Night You Went Away
Try To Block It Out
But It Plays Again
You Can't Imagine
All The Pain I Feel
I Would Give Anything
To Hear Your Voice Again
It Is Hard With You Not Around
I Know You Are In Heaven
Smiling Down
Watching Us While
We Pray For You
Every Day We Pray For You
Till The Day We Meet Again
In My Heart Is Where I Keep You
My Son
Memories Give Me The Strength I Need
To Carry On And To Believe
I Wish I Could Turn Back
The Hands Of Time
I Still Can't Believe You Are Gone
Somebody Tell Me WHY?
Every Step I Take
Every Move I Make
Every Single Day
Every Time I Pray
I'll Be Missing You
Thinking Of The Day
When You Went Away
What A Life To Take
What A Bond To Break
I'll Be Missing You
Every Day That Passes
Brings Me Closer
To When I Will See You Again
On That Morning
When My Life Is Over
I Know I'll See Your Face
Her beauty and presence were stunning!
She took our breath away!
We miss you and will always love you,
you are forever in our heart.
Love,
Mom
Bryan, Dawn, Jason and Clint