Hazen, forever 5



I rarely blog anymore.  I don’t have a story to tell anymore. And that’s because I don’t have a son with cancer anymore.  My beautiful boy who captured so many hearts died six and a half years ago. 

But three weeks ago, I found myself with tears in my eyes and as our seventh (!!) annual Mess Fest fundraiser is approaching, I thought it would be an appropriate story to share. 

Alexandra Garcia – Alex – was just a little girl when Ty was sick.  Her brother Michael was still a toddler.  I didn’t know her or her family, but Alex’s mother is such a deep and caring person that she injected herself into my life and I am so grateful for her friendship ever since. 

This family travels for hours from their home in Westhampton to attend our events.  They volunteer.  They devise plans behind my back with a team of my favorite fairy friends to purchase plane tickets for our Mely to visit with us time and time again. 

Alex has grown into a thoughtful young teen who shares her mother’s generous heart.  She spoke to her teacher at school, and asked to host her very own “Mess Fest” in Westhampton this year.  The next thing you know I’m getting a call from her teacher, Kelly, whose voice I recognized with surprise as memories of my school days came rushing back… of course, I knew her.  Ty always arranges such "coincidences."  

The event was amazing.  Alex and Miss Russell planned and executed a flawless event.  I drove down there with Bodhi and a car full of supplies to help them with the Mess Fest, including our signs.  The signs feature photos of children who underwent cancer treatment, and it was the signs that compelled me to share this update with you…

Hazen has a freckle on his cheek.  His freckle brought me to tears.

How come I never noticed?  I treat these signs with boundless love!  I clean them off carefully after every event, which means I have cleaned Hazen's sign over a dozen times.  I never met many of these children but I know that Kai wears a green crotchet headband and that her adorable right ear sticks out more than her left.  I know that McKenna is missing her top left tooth and that her photo was taken on her first day of first grade.  I know that Rett has the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen.  I never noticed that about Hazen though, and as I wiped slime and paint splatter from his face to reveal this cute little freckle on his left cheek, the tears filled my eyes and they didn’t stop for days.

Tears because I will never get the chance to meet any of the children with the word "forever" under their names.  

Tears because they never got to experience a Mess Fest event, where we celebrate them with such fun and laughter. “The best day of the year!” I have been told time and time again.  And it is… it really, really is.  

Tears because I am just so very sad they are gone.  I know their stories and I know how they suffered, and how their families continue to suffer without them.  But I also cried because a beautiful thought crossed my mind. 

They HAVE seen the Mess Fest.  The spirit of these children is felt everywhere, and their laughter echoes across the grass all day long.  The vision of their very signs splattered with mud shows me that they are, indeed, participating – and getting dirty just as they should be. 


Ty never jumped in a muddy puddle after he was diagnosed with a brain tumor.  But now he is free and his spirit will be everywhere at Mess Fest on August 3rd.  He will be jumping in every puddle he can find. 

If you are on the fence about coming to this event, I hope you will just “jump in.”  A very small team of dedicated individuals work their tails off to deliver an incredible experience for everyone who attends – a true celebration of childhood – all to help change the outcomes for children with cancer by funding research.

In honor of the survivors, in support of the fighters, in memory of the angels…. Join us to celebrate the kids. 

Visit the magic show to see “Amazin’ Hazen” (as he liked to be called), and admire his adorable freckle. 


Messfest2019.org

If your family has been impacted by a childhood cancer diagnosis and you would like to have a sign made in honor of your child, please feel free to fill out this google form.

photo credit: Laurie Spens 2018


Alex and friends at the Westhampton Mess Fest!

Comments

  1. UnknownNovember 27, 2019 at 7:45 PM

    Slightly smaller than A5, it’s bound with glue. http://3wn2u5vntz.dip.jp http://19t9bgfai0.dip.jp http://0xsotuohaj.dip.jp

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sharon WayneJune 1, 2020 at 6:47 AM

      I want to thank Dr Emu a very powerful spell caster who help me to bring my husband back to me, few month ago i have a serious problem with my husband, to the extend that he left the house, and he started dating another woman and he stayed with the woman, i tried all i can to bring him back, but all my effort was useless until the day my friend came to my house and i told her every thing that had happened between me and my husband, then she told me of a powerful spell caster who help her when she was in the same problem I then contact Dr Emu and told him every thing and he told me not to worry my self again that my husband will come back to me after he has cast a spell on him, i thought it was a joke, after he had finish casting the spell, he told me that he had just finish casting the spell, to my greatest surprise within 48 hours, my husband really came back begging me to forgive him, if you need his help you can contact him with via email: Emutemple@gmail.com or add him up on his whatsapp +2347012841542 is willing to help any body that need his help.
      Website: http://emutemple.website2.me/

      Delete
  2. Clara david February 12, 2020 at 4:51 PM

    WHAT A GREAT MIRACLE THAT I HAVE EVER SEE IN MY LIFE. My names are Clara David I’m a citizen of USA, My younger sister was sicking of
    breast cancer and her name is Sandra David I and my family have taking her
    to all kind of hospital in USA still yet no good result. I decided to go to
    the internet and search for cancer cure so that was how I find a lady
    called peter Lizzy she was testifies to the world about the goodness of a
    herbal man who has the roots and herbs to cure all kind of disease and the
    herbal man email was there. So I decided to contact the herbal man @herbalist_sakura for my
    younger sister help to cure her breast cancer. I contacted him and told him
    my problem he told me that I should not worry that my sister cancer will be
    cure, he told me that there is a medicine that he is going to give me that
    I will cook it and give it to my sister to drink for one week, so I ask how
    can I receive the cure that I am in USA, he told me
    That I will pay for the delivery service. The courier service can
    transport it to me so he told me the amount I will pay, so my dad paid for
    the delivery fee. two days later I receive the cure from the courier
    service so I used it as the herbal man instructed me to, before the week
    complete my sister cancer was healed and it was like a dream to me not
    knowing that it was physical I and my family were very happy about the
    miracle of Doctor so my dad wanted to pay him 5 million us dollars the
    herbal man did not accept the offer from my dad, but I don't know why he
    didn't accept the offer, he only say that I should tell the world about him
    and his miracle he perform so am now here to tell the world about him if
    you or your relative is having any kind of disease that you can't get from
    the hospital please contact dr.sakuraspellalter@gmail.com or whats app him
    +2348110114739 / via his website https://drsakuraspellalter.weebly.com/ you can follow him up on Instagram @herbalist_sakura for the cure, he will help you out with the
    problem. And if you need more information about the doctor you can mail me
    davidclara223@gmail.com 

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sharon WayneOctober 30, 2020 at 5:58 PM

    Happiness is what i witness now after a long period of separation of me and my wife and my daughter for over 8month now,my wife caught me with another another lady and she was angry that i cheated on her and she decided to leave with my daughter away from me, ever since it dawn on me that i have fails my marriage. but still yet i never loose hope i searched around from every angle and every place and finally i saw a blog comment on the way DR JATTO has helped a broken home. i ran to him and asked for his help and told him that my situation is not permanent but temporary that was how he cast a love spell for me and in 24hours my wife and daughter called me that they are coming back home that that they are sorry for leaving me. i was bewildered. but since then and until now we are a happy family with no quarrels and the lust for other lady died immediately. contact Dr JATTO for his powerful spell and he will surely help you okay. on his email:drjattolovespellteple@gmail.com or drjattolovespelltemple@yahoo.co.uk or his website:http://drjattolovespellte.wixsite.com/spelltempl or his Mobile:+2347050270268...

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Anything but cancer

Image
Cancer is not welcome here.  It can never, ever, ever, ever, ever come back.  As I mentioned yesterday, Ty has been showing some physical symptoms that we haven't seen in a long time.  Please, God, don't let it be cancer again.  Anything but cancer. I spoke to Ty's doctor first thing this morning and he believes the increased weakness we are seeing on Ty's left side is not related to new cancer growth - but that doesn't rule out the possibility.  He feels that Ty is suffering from spasticity, which is becoming more visible now only because Ty is getting stronger.  As Ty's muscles begin to regain mass and tone, the neurological weakness on his left side is becoming more noticeable.  This spasticity is likely permanent, but also treatable with continued therapy.  When I spoke to his physical therapist later today, she agreed that it would explain what she is seeing, and then she reassured me that walking again is still a highly attainable goal for Ty.  And "
Read more

He's right there. On our bench. Waiting for me to notice.

Image
  God, was it a beautiful day on Sunday. After snow on Halloween, I wasn’t expecting it. After the stress of the election and the weekend that followed, I simply wasn’t expecting a day like this and it really made my heart heal. I made a point to get outside alone to smell the leaves and remember the days in November 2012 when I used to sit outside with Ty’s fleece blanket around me, numb, watching the leaves fall all around. And yes, looking for signs from my love. I broke my foot recently. It was just a clumsy maneuver, not a big deal (or so I thought). But I have to stay put for the most part and that’s hard for me. Sunday, Lou took the kids hiking and I stayed behind and to be honest - it was lovely. Hearing the birds outside and listening to the rustling leaves I had to get out there. All the cushions were already packed away for the winter in our yard, so I hobbled my way over to our date bench across the street from our house. Years ago I used to sit there with Ty. I used to tel
Read more

A Different Story to Tell

Image
I couldn’t sleep last night. I miss this face. With so much on my mind, I’m not sure I slept at all.  Years ago, I would have gotten out of bed and started writing a blog to clear my head. I could settle my anxiety by expelling all of those thoughts from the day onto virtual paper, so to speak.  But back then, I had a story to tell.  I shared messages of faith and hope as I navigated a life-changing journey that altered my soul.  Last night, as I debated getting out of bed, I was weighed down by the reminder that I don’t have a story to tell anymore.  The best five years of my life are forever behind me. But after two cups of coffee this morning, I settled on the notion that I still have so much to share - it’s all just very different. August 11 will mark TEN YEARS since my husband and I took him to the hospital for the very first time, never imagining the news that would confront us.  Brain tumor. Surgery. Chemotherapy. Radiation. The words were garbled - spilling ou
Read more