It’s a very sad day. It’s tragic, horrific and just unbelievable. My friend, Rich, lost his only child, a 21 year old daughter, in a hit & run car accident yesterday. Meghan was standing in a parking lot and the soul-less person who hit her left her to die. So hard to wrap my brain around this kind of act. So hard to accept that she will never play that piano again.
Meghan lost her mom, Eileen, to colon cancer. Eileen was only 48 when she died. So, Rich has lost both a wife and now a daughter. Often people wonder what to do in times like these. How to be helpful to the grieving family? Rich, in his strong and eloquent way dug deep and has made it easy. This is what he wrote on Facebook last night:
Dear friends,
Thank you all for the outpouring of love and support, prayers and kind words, sweet remembrances and shared photos – for Meghan, for me (and yes, for Eileen as well), and for our families, friends, and especially for Meghan’s classmates and friends.
My request at the end of this darkest day is simply this:
The next time you hug your loved ones, hug them a little more closely and think, “This is for Meghan.” The next time you tell them that you love them, say it more tenderly and think, “This is for Meghan.” The next time you laugh with them, laugh a little louder, and think, “This is for Meghan.” The next time you do an act of kindness, smile to yourself and say, “This is for Meghan.”
As always, I hold on tightly to Eileen’s favorite quotation: “In the face of uncertainty, remember these two things: you are stronger than you think, and you are not alone.”>>
Today I am asking all my readers to do something that honors Meghan. Any act of kindness in her name will do. Please leave a comment letting me know what it is you said or did and for whom…..a loved one, a stranger…..but don’t forget to say “This is for Meghan“. On January 22nd (Meghan was born on Sept 22nd, so I like the number 22) I will randomly choose one comment and send you this gift: a brand spankin’ new Cuisinart Griddler! This is for Meghan. Let’s spread the kindness and the love and the talent that Meghan so generously shared with those around her.
After reading the post about Meghan I am now baking a cake to share with my team at work tomorrow in her memory. Sharing love through cooking. My prayers to her family and those who loved her!
The healing power of food is what this blog is all about. Sharing recipes from your heart with your co-workers makes work a better place to be. Thanks for doing this for Meghan.
Oh my heart is broken every time I hear of someone losing a child for this is and always has been my greatest fear. I have known several strong, brave people who have lost one of their precious children and am always amazed at their strength and grace, present company included. I promise to hug my children a little bit tighter.
I am a big believer in hugging. Having worked in the boarding school setting nearly my whole career I think there was more healing power in my hugs than in my medicine. Hugs for Meghan!! Pass it on. Thank you.
Lisa, your words (and through them, your spirit) were a gift to me today. Thank you for passing along words of hope despite the horror and sadness. All of my love to you! xoxo
My William’s favorite teacher–you are the gift and always will be to every student who crosses your path.
xoxo
I am so sorry for your friend Rich, what a tragic story! I will keep him, his wife Eileen and Meghan in my prayers tonight.
Both Rich and Eileen work(ed) at Westover School. I bet you met Eileen when you did daycare there. Thank you for the prayers and for thinking of Meghan.
When I read Rich’s words last night, they clung to me. So eloquent (as he usually is). Last night I went upstairs and I hugged my two little boys, I whispered in their ear my favorite part of the day with them and kissed them on the heads. And then in my head I thought – that was for Meghan. I’m glad I found your blog through a fellow WO friend. My prayers are with those that knew her so well. Kelly WO ’96
Thank you Kelly for your kindness. Your two little boys probably had the most wonderful dreams last night knowing how much their mom loves them.
Thank you, Lisa, for your kind and inspiring words and for offering this post “for Meghan.” But thank you most of all, for your example of strength and steadfastness. You have shown me that loss does not mean that the love is lost; it is transformed. Following your path, I know I can count on your lead and your support. With much love … Rich
We will follow in both Meghan’s and William’s light. We are so blessed to have had these wonderful children in our lives. We will see them again. Never forget that Meghan and Eileen are forever in your heart. You take them wherever you go……and Meghan is gone too soon. She wasn’t ready, so she will show herself to you in so many ways. Keep your heart open so you don’t miss her beat.
I have an older gentleman in my office (65 years old) that I avoid like the plague because if he gets your ear, he will go on relentlessly about his health and personal problems. Today when I ran into him in the hallway, for some reason I thought about Meghan and I decided to stop and listen to him. I was thinking maybe he’s a lonely guy and he yearns so much for someone to listen to him. This probably doesn’t count as a “grill worthy” act of kindness, but I guess I made his day a little brighter today.
Stepping out of your comfort zone to help brighten another’s day is exactly what Meghan would have wanted. You are walking in the light-totally grill worthy!
Thank you, Ellen, for the food donation in honor of Meghan. She is smiling down knowing that someone will not go hungry today.
I went to a local hobby store this morning to buy a puzzle. It is not a big box toy store but more of a mom & pop store so there was no one in there besides me…or so I thought. While walking down the main aisle, I noticed a young boy (I am guessing 8 years old) and his grandmother looking at Lego toys. This young lad was so serious as he carefully looked at all the choices. I stopped to watch him and his grandmother showed me the Lego character toy she was carrying for him. She commented that she had no clue who this character was…nor did I. They moved on to another section and I asked if I could join them. He was not one of those “Why can’t I have more than one toy” kids. You could tell he just wanted to make the right choice. We ended up in the section where I happened upon him. I asked him to show me the one he really wanted and he got shy. So I took the toy his grandmother had been carrying and asked him if I could buy it for him. He smiled and said “yes’. I smiled and said “This is for Meghan”….Peace and Hope…
Just love this and it does not surprise me one bit that you did such a kindness to a complete stranger.
My next door neighbors are having a rough time but they are proud. I book their daughter a warm coat, boots, gloves and a hat. I waited until after Christmas so it would be a ” just because” gift.
Such a kind gesture!
Lisa, I am following your blog, and every word speaks to my heart…..life is not an easy journey, or experience, however love is all around us and we must always search for it, and not block it….every day.
Welcome sister! So glad you are here. You know very well this journey and how to survive it. It is all about the love for our children and how to transform it and spread it around.
Hi Lisa-
Bill posted a link to your blog on our Patch site. What you’re doing is so wonderful! I’d like to write about it and spread the word for our readers…can you contact me? My email is lorien.crow@patch.com. And I too will be participating 🙂 Thanks!
very happy to have you here and help spread the love. It’s the best support we can give to Rich and his family
In honor of so many angels gone too soon I pray for their spirits’ to guide us. I will be patient with those in need. I will visit with my elderly neighbors today.
wonderful contribution in honor of Meghan
I was in line to check out at a second hand store in chicago when the gentleman in front of me put one of the 2 jackets he wanted aside. I asked him why he wasn’t getting it and he was a little embarrased to tell me he couldn’t afford both. I bought him the coat and told him it was for Meghan. He smiled.
So very kind and generous. I know this one surely made Meghan smile!
Hi Lisa,
I am saddened beyond measure by this tragedy. As the frightening, horrific details became known–it became the unthinkable tragedy. You’ve managed to create a graceful place for Meghan’s memory to be honored, and that is a perfectly loving thing to do. Today, for Meghan, I made a pot of homemade soup for a sick friend. We have to go with what we know. 🙂
“Those whom we love and lose are no longer where they were before. They are now wherever we are.” ~St. John Chrysostom
Sending you love,
Ellen
I know that was a delicious pot of soup and so very healing for your friend. It’s the perfect act of kindness. Thank you for thinking of Meghan and I love the quote.
stay warm my friend
Reblogged this on Grieving Gumdrops: The Sweeter Side of Grief and commented:
Remembering Megan……inspirational way to honor her and reach out to others. Sometimes the smallest gestures make the biggest impact…
love the idea of spreading the news through your blog, too. Thanks for sharing and I look forward to hearing what your readers do to honor Meghan.