Jackie’s sister, Michelle was in a car accident on April 6, 2003, she was hit on the passenger side of the car, broadsided. She was living in Arizona and Jackie was living in California. When Jackie received the call, it did not look good; Michelle’s injuries were a broken collarbone, chin bone, humours bone, wrist, ribs, and leg. She also had a hole punctured in both lungs causing collapse. Her spleen was bruised and pelvis broken.
When Jackie arrived at John C. Lincoln Hospital, in Phoenix, Arizona, Michelle squeezed her hand. She knew that Jackie was with her. Jackie was happy that Michelle knew. The physicians informed her that Michelle had ARDS and that she only had a fifty percent chance of survival.
Jackie’s mother and other sister were at the hospital along with her sister’s fiance; Jackie wished that she could have stayed longer but had to care for her grandmother. Michelle blew a hole in her other lung and almost died, but the next few days, she bounced back. In sign language, she said that she loved us.
She developed an infection in her nose so the NG tube had to be removed and placed in her stomach. They were never able to put the trach tube in due to the fact that her blood pressure failed to stabilize. On the morning of April 25, 2003, Jackie’s beloved sister, Michelle, lost her battle to ARDS. Jackie’s heart goes out to each and everyone who has lost a loved one to this syndrome. Michelle left a two-year-old baby boy behind and her son looks just like her.
Jackie is moving closer to be with the rest of the family and she wants Michelle’s memory to endure. Michelle loved to read and write poetry, and loved all beautiful living things. Jackie shares a poem that Michelle wrote before she died, as she wants the world to read it, as it is beautiful.
ALWAYS THERE
WHEN I AM FEELING LONELY
WHENEVER I AM SCARED
ANYTIME I NEED A FRIEND
YOU ARE ALWAYS THERE.
YOU LIFT ME UP WHEN I AM DOWN
PUT MY FEET BACK ON THE GROUND
YOU ARE ALWAYS THERE TO CARRY ME
WHEN I AM WEAK YOU GIVE ME STRENGTH
TO KEEP ME SAFE FROM THE STORM
YOU LIGHT MY WAY THROUGH THE DARK
YOU ARE ALWAYS THERE
BY MY SIDE
TO TAKE THE WRONG
AND MAKE IT RIGHT
YOU HOLD ME IN YOUR ARMS
TO SHELTER ME WHEN I CRY
WHEN I THINK THAT NO ONE CARES
I TURN AROUND AND YOU ARE ALWAYS THERE.
THERE IS NO WAY I CAN REPAY YOU
FOR THE LOVE YOU HAVE SHOWN ME
FOE BEING THERE IN MY TIMES OF DOUBT
LOVING UNSELFISHLY
YOUR LOVE SHINES DOWN FROM HEAVEN ABOVE
LIKE THE SUN EACH DAY
AND GIVES ME THE COURAGE TO GIVE AND TO LOVE
TO CARRY ON DAY BY DAY.
NEVER AGAIN WILL I FEEL THAT NO ONE CARES
BECAUSE WHEN I NEED YOU MOST
YOU ARE ALWAYS THERE.
THANKS BE TO GOD, JESUS AND THE HOLY GHOST WHO ARE
ONE. IN GOD I TRUST
BY MICHELLE RENEE DUFFY
THIS POEM IS IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY SISTER. SHE LOVED ALL AND IN HER WORDS WHEN YOU SEE BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS OR THE SKY OR THE STARS IN THE SKY. OR EVEN A BEAUTIFUL RAINBOW THINK OF HER WHO LOVED ALL LIVING THINGS
