Author: Cathy Frame
Mark and I are not certain when that was or how it happened but are guessing it was through all the mutual friends we had in common. Our daughter Anna and Addie had known each other from soccer days. Sitting on the soccer fields is probably how we really started to know them better. Either that or at Johnny’s during wild nights when Recess would be playing at the bar and everyone was dancing.....I am still not sure. One thing I am certain of is that we had a bond…not a bond that the four of us would want but that bond was cancer.
When my husband Mark was diagnosed with a brain tumor (which had a great outcome) all of our friends wrapped themselves around us. Melissa organized a walk for Head of the Cure for team Mark. She rallied the troops and we all did the walk. I thought that was so thoughtful of her to do for Mark.
Fast forward to when Melissa became sick…now it was my turn. Melissa’s favorite holiday was Christmas. I went to pick her up for a birthday dinner with friends and noticed that there was not one decoration out in her house. I turned to Kim Hunter at dinner and said “we have to decorate her house.” And so, with the help of so many of Melissa’s friends, the house was decorated to the nines. Melissa had 3 trees... all with a theme, of course, and tons of Santa’s and Snowmen that could have filled 3 houses! Melissa sat on the couch as we all decorated and laughed and told jokes and reminisced.
Melissa always amazed me, even with being sick, she was always making sure so see how you were doing, wanting to hear what was going on with you and your family before she would want to talk about herself. She was always so positive and smiling. When she set goals, she achieved them…making it to Addie’s Wedding was the most beautiful and joyful day I have ever seen.
I think of Melissa often and know that she has made so many friends in heaven and is keeping up with all of them in the same fashion that she did with us. I am sure she is smiling down on all of us here …Especially Jeff, Addie, JM and Brooks with a smile as beautiful as ever.
