Five year old Gabby lost her months long battle with a rare brain cancer last night. I have never met Gabby, but have been following her story since the beginning when my cousin, who knows her father, brought Gabby and her fight to my attention.
Not a day went by, where I have not thought of Gabby. I would read every update, every blog post, every fundraiser announcement. I have never been much of a religious person, but I found myself praying for this little girl. When her parent posted in a blog about wondering "Why?", "Why Gabby?", "Why not YOUR child?" I found myself shuttering at the thought. They were right, how it could easily be any of our children. I found myself asking, "Why ANY child?"
And now, Gabby is gone and I feel a profound sadness for this little girl that I never even met. She will remain 5 years old forever. Never able to go to prom, learn to drive, move away to college or get married. Even more simply, she can never hug her parents again or hear the words "I love you" or feel the summer air turn crisp and cool as autumn approaches. I find myself dazed tonight as my thoughts continue to go back to her. She was not mine, yet I want to yell and scream and cry because I don't think that it is fair that she lost her fight against cancer.
See, I guess I need to explain the impact that Gabby had on my life. Since learning about her brave fight and watching her family chronicle it, I have changed. I yell about the small things a little less. I try to make more "memorable" moments instead of getting caught up in the daily chores of life. I take the time for trips to get an ice cream cone "just because" now. I won't end cuddle time because the laundry needs to get finished anymore. I am a better mom because of Gabby.
Gabby's gift to all of us was to show us how time is precious, fleeting. That every moment with our children is a moment to be thankful for, even if your child is up all night vomiting or is in the middle of a temper tantrum in the grocery store.
As much as I would like to donate money in memory of Gabby, I am a stay-at-home mom with very limited means. I remembered reading about another family that honored a lost child by having a day where anyone and everyone was asked to participate in a "random acts of kindness" day in his memory. Basically, you would do something kind for a stranger. You could pay for the person's coffee behind you in line at Wawa in the morning. You could help an elderly person (or a mom with her hands full) bag their groceries at the grocery store. You do as much or as little as you want. The catch? That you tell the stranger that you are doing this act of kindness in memory of the child and for them to pass on the kindness as well. I think that for Gabby's birthday this year (October 9th) that we should have a "Random Acts of Kindness" Day in Gabby's honor. Why let Gabby's gift stop now? I have a feeling, she can and will continue to change and impact lives even now.
Rest in Peace, Gabby. You will be missed... even by those of us, who never met you, but were still affected by you.
If you would like to read more about Gabby, visit her website here.
UPDATE*
I have set up an Random Acts of Kindness Event through Facebook to coincide with her sixth birthday. If you are interested in participating, please click on link below to see invitation.
Random Acts of Kindness For Gabby Vogel
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