It has been a year since Jessie died…

 

A year since we've heard "Uh-hi-ya" or chuckled as we watched her drag her "bum" leg

 

A year since we've hugged, held, talked to, scolded, eaten with, watched TV with, or shopped with her

 

It feels like an eternity

 

Yet it was just yesterday we went back-to-school shopping

 

It has been a year of hell

 

We have had to try to piece together our shattered selves - all the while wondering how, and why, we'd survive

 

We are different people now - and we always will be

 

Our inability to fix this has been a constant source of overwhelming frustration. We feel so powerless and helpless

 

But they say that what doesn't break you will make you stronger, and perhaps that will be true because of you who surround us

 

Brad you are phenomenal. Deep, strong, funny, sweet, honest, caring, and smart. With everything you have ever been and done, you give us reason to live, to go on. Thank you

 

Doug and Lisa, Ryan and Andrew - you chose to step right in to our circle of pain and haven't stopped being there for us for one second. Thank you

 

To all of you who have called, stopped by, done favors, prayed for us, tied ribbons, planted trees and visited Jessie - you are wonderful people. We know that it is hard to approach us, to talk to us. But all of you have. Thank you

 

Jessie took care of making sure that her life had meaning. It is up to us to make sure that her death does.

 

To help us do that, there are a couple of things you can do:

 

First - Everyone can be more attentive to their driving - take your time, be buckled, be defensive. Adults -you are the role models that our young drivers pattern themselves after. Please be mindful of that. Teens – remember that driving a car involves new situations every day, every second. Please don’t take risks

 

Second - Take time each day to let those around you know how much you love them. You will never regret it. We lost Jessie in an instant - Thank God we let her know every day just how much she was loved.

 

There is an ancient Egyptian belief that a person doesn't truly die until their name is no longer spoken. Please don’t be afraid to speak of Jessie… that will help ensure that she never truly dies.