Steve's Thoughts

Here is an email that Marlena sent to family and friends about Liz:

Hello Family & Friends- A few days ago I received an email from Madison Park from CNN.com, who was doing a story on the rising rate of deaths of people without health insurance. She had seen Elizabeth’s story on the California Nurses Association web site and thought she might want to include it in her article. I called her and we spoke about Elizabeth, what she was like and how she died. The story has been published online and the link to it is below.

We are approaching what would have been Elizabeth’s 32nd birthday on Monday and the sixth anniversary of her death on Tuesday. At this time I wanted to send special thanks to each of you who were there for her life and for her passing: to David, who taught Elizabeth to be strong and independent, but who also protected her like a mother lion. To Kim who gave us three beautiful little granddaughters to love, and to Alanah, Jalyssa and Teyla for being really great kids. To Tony, who insisted Elizabeth be smart and helped her know it was important to stretch her mind and do her best. To Christopher, who with his sister, Becca, held us and helped us through that first awful night (I don’t know what we would have done without you). To Mike, who was her model of kindness, honor and integrity, and who has allowed us to lean on him even when he needed someone to lean on himself. To Tye, who asked me to help with their wedding and who always understands when we are sad. To Kathy, who is my daughter by birth and by choice, and who first made me a grandma. To Brandon, Breanna, and Robert, Jr. for being always interesting and usually willing to hang out with us. To Sharon, who has helped me see dragonflies and who I know truly shares the loss also as her own. To Patti, who tells me I’m a good mom, which is something that I really need to know. To Maggie and Rebecca who helped Elizabeth become who she was. To Patrick and his mom, Sherry, who just showed up with whatever was needed. To Elaine who is always there for us and who loves all her grandchildren. Especially to Steve, whom I love and admire more than he will ever know, whose heart was, and I know is, broken but who has continued to be the solid rock on which our family is built. I love you all. Marlena

The story has been published at http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/09/18...nce/index.html