"I love you, Mommy. Thank you for helping me with my homework"
"I wish that man didn't hit you"
I saw those words this morning. They were each written in children's handwriting on little yellow paper stars. Those little yellow stars were affixed to the inside white satin lining of a coffin in which lay the peaceful body of the Mother of the children who wrote them.
This morning I attended the funeral service for Michelle L. "Shelly" Huffman.
Died on
December 30, 2006
At the age of
37 Years - 4 Months - 14 Days
Shelly was a very regular customer where I work. Although I never knew her outside of work, I probably saw her a couple of times a week for the last 7 years. She was always full of amazing energy and life, always smiling and talking about her kids. Each year I'd get her and her boys tickets to the snowmobile races that we hold every January.
On New Year's Eve, she and her fiance, Scott, went up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to do some snowmobiling. Tragically, Shelly's sled was hit by another.
I don't ask too much of The Almighty, but if indeed you read eatminneapolis.com (and I think you do), I ask that you watch over Shelly's children and somehow help them through this - this which I cannot even imagine getting through.
Posted by Michael at January 4, 2007 08:44 PMMy biggest fear since becoming a parent is that I won't be around to see my son grow up. As an old fat guy, this is probably a legitimate worry, and I know I should do more to get healthier. But obviously you can never plan for a tragic accident. That's why I try very hard not to make excuses like "it's been a long day and I'm tired." If I were to drop dead tomorrow (God forbid!), I hope that my son would have a clear memory of a father who loved him, and played with him, and who (almost) never passed up a chance to just be with him. Children are the most precious gift. The tragedy that I see every day is so many children whose parents treat them like they are a huge imposition. I'll get off my soapbox now. Hug your wife, and your little one on the way. See you soon.
EEE DDD
Posted by: Ed at January 5, 2007 12:59 PM