As most of you know I had a very special sister named Erin who had Trisomy 18. Trisomy 18 is a defect of the 18th chromosome and causes severe retardation in the children who have it shortening their life expectancy to only 2% of boys and 3% of girls living to see their first birthday. Against every odd my sister lived to be 27 years old and passed away yesterday the 15th of May just a month shy of her 28th birthday. She was the 3rd oldest child with this disorder in the whole wide world which is a testement to how fantastic God is, what excellent care she got from my parents, and her strong will to live.

My parents had gone to the coast to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary leaving my oldest sister to look out for Erin, and after two great days in GeeGee's care Erin fell asleep a perfectly healthy and happy little girl and simply died at 4:30 am. She had no reason expect those that only YHVH understands, and there was no cause, she simply quit breathing, her heart stopped, and that was that. It was final, it was quick, and it was over. That is a hard way for us to have lost her, but the easiest on Erin. All of Erin's life we prayed for her death to be like that and it is most excellent that that is exactly how it happened. God's a nice guy. We all miss her terribly and I don't quite know what to do without her. I hear time helps these things, we shall see, but as the unaware desk clerk told my parents as they checked out of the hotel yesterday to come home and be with Erin, "It is a beautiful day in paradise today, isn't it?"

Yes lady, indeed it was.

For anyone who knows us personally and wishes to have my parents phone number send me an email and I will get it to you. Do not be afraid to call and talk to any of us about Erin's death because it is then that we get to celebrate her life.
Shalom.