Yesterday afternoon, Elena & I were busy driving around town visiting some local businesses on a county wide "Math Scavenger Hunt" for her school. I really didn't have the time to be doing this as I had so much to get ready for (Lumberjack 100 mile in 2 days, a cross country meeting, housework, etc) but I figured I should be positive about math and it's always good to spend time with my girl.
Elena & I decided to go to a jewelry store, Kluh Jewelers, here in town, mostly because it is fun to look at things that sparkle. A friendly lady helped us then visited with us for a bit. One thing lead to another and it came out that I am a runner. "Do you run marathons?" Helen asked. "Umm, yes" I said as I imagined all sorts of retorts she would have if I told her what I really run. Slowly and cautiously through the conversation it came out that her niece was a runner and ran marathons, but had died just two weeks earlier, the victim of a drunk driver.
Helen shared no other details with me and I didn't ask. She said the loss of her beautiful niece was still raw. I could sense that Helen was sharing only what she wanted to at the time and it wasn't easy for her. I said I was sorry for her loss, we looked at some earrings together, and then Elena & I came home.
Last night I couldn't help but think, as I was fretting about the upcoming Lumberjack 100, how lucky I am to be alive and to be able to run, laugh and tell my family and friends that I love them. Helen's niece can not. I thought about how running makes me feel so alive, so strong even when I am at my weakest or feel like just giving up. I thought about a lot of things, but it is getting late and I have a run tomorrow...
Today I went back to Kluh Jewelers. Helen was not there but I was able to talk to her on the phone. I told her I was running 100 miles this weekend and I wanted to run it especially for her niece who can no longer run, if that would be okay with Helen. Helen said yes, she would be honored to let me carry Angela in my heart. I also asked if I could right this note on Facebook to share Angela's story. Helen said yes to that too.
I want to share Angela's story because she did not have to die. She did not have to stop running. But because someone chose to drink and drive, Angela's race is over. Please, don't drink and drive. And while I don't know that I have many friends who would or do, please don't let your friends drink and drive. Take their keys, drive them home, call them a cab, make them walk if they are an angry drunk. Whatever. But keep the alcohol off the roads. Please.
I have read about Angela from her family and friends on a memorial web-site and I have seen her pictures. She was beautiful. She loved dogs. She was a runner. She was from Yakima (eastern WA). She was 44. We had a lot in common. She loved God, her friends loved her. They will miss her smile, her laughter, her compassion and her desire to live life to the fullest. Her life was rich.
So tomorrow, I will run with Angela (Ang, Angie) in my heart. And I will appreciate life, for it is fragile, but I have it.
Don't drink and drive. Slow down. Put your phone down.
And from Angie's Eulogy:
"Life is love, enjoy it;
Life is mystery, discover it;
Life is suffering, overcome it;
Life is a hymn, sing it;
Life is life, save it.
These are the words of Mother Theresa, taped to the front cover of Angie’s address book. We found it in a file titled: Important Documents."
Sometime During Lumberjack:
Finish Line Smiles:
Finish Line Feet:
Post run I wrote:
I definitely felt her life with me when I was running. On her memorial web-site her family wrote about "What would Angie do?" as a way to help guide them. I would ask myself that too when I was struggling and while I didn't know her, if she... still had life she would run, so I did too. And when I got "pissy" in my head from the effort, the hurt or the mud, I changed my tune because at least I still get to run and live. Thanks for reading Angie's story.
April 17, 2011 at 6:04pm
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