On December 6, 2008 our family suffered a tragic loss. Our oldest son, Byron, and his wife Debbie, were returning home from a dinner/theater event, celebrating Debbie’s 48th birthday. About a mile from home, a car driven by an 18 year-old slammed into them, head on. Debbie, who was driving the car, died at the scene and Byron was air-lifted to Harborview Hospital, the area’s trauma center. Byron suffered a severally broken wrist, bruised lungs, an impact injury to the collarbone, and a lacerated forehead.Besides Byron, Debbie leaves a daughter, Bobbie, almost 18 and a son, Jacob, almost 20. Jacob serves with the U.S. Marines, currently at Camp Pendleton, so he was able to come home for a few days. Bobbie is in her senior year at high school.
The following Friday, December 12, we celebrated Debbie’s life at the Presbyterian Church in Maple Valley, WA. The service was lovely, upbeat and inspirational with about 150 people in attendance. Byron is healing physically quite well. Emotionally he’s doing as well as can be expected. Bobbie is coming along, though it is a terrible age to lose your mother. Jacob was splendid in his U.S. Marine dress blues. His mother would have been so proud. Actually, I felt her presence–she was with us.
Farewell to our beloved Debbie. May God keep you in His amazing grace.
2 comments:
I was coming to your blog from the Poynter newsletter to read about critique groups. I instead first saw your post about your family's sad loss. It is devastating to lose a close one at any time of year, but just prior to the holidays make it even more tragic. I lost my father at age 11, which I've recently written about and which prompted my coming to your website, so can understand the incredible loss to Debbie's children. I'm very happy your son Byron was spared. May God bless you and your family at this difficult time.
Thank you for sharing, Mary. I feel like a piece of my heart went with Debbie. Roy Lesher, Lost Lake.
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