Friendships, Love and Loss - something we all live through ~ it's as inescapable as time, and yet...you can never really prepare yourself.   I first read about Jesse-Joy's story in Gary's McNinch's Post....

I Got a STAR on AR, and Didn't Write A Word???  Where Gary shared........the story of his wife Jessie-Joy's fight with cancer... Its a miraculous story of love and faith triumphing one day at a time....

                                                            

One of my favorite people on Active Rain, I had the privilege of meeting Gary Mcninch and his charming wife Jesse for the first time in Orlando this past February.  I shared a post about our visit........in Testimony of Love and Faith........Gary Mcninch's Story....... 

"From the beginning I was moved and touched by Gary's gentle and cheerful spirit......only later was I to learn what chiseled that..."

Gary and I have since chatted and commiserated a few times, we both used to work for KW and  we'd share anecdotes and laughs about Real Estate and the Pacific Northwest....but mostly we talked about family...We talked about Jesse's Treatments, progress, and challenges... 

Sadly ~ two days ago Gary called with the news that Jesse had passed away... I didn't know Jesse well.......only from our one meeting in Florida - but Gary spoke of her so lovingly and over the last few days I've had a chance to read many a tributes to her on Gary's page on Facebook...

I just read a tribute post about Jesse -Joy on Facebook - I think it might have been from her niece........she says:

"It's rare that I can remember the first time I met someone. Rarer still when I met them at the age of five. It was New Year's Eve, the first year my parents let me stay up until midnight, if I remember correctly-She talked to me like a grown-up. She dyed my hair, let me get my ears double pierced and took me to see the Phantom of the Opera. She could drive from Seattle to here in 2.5 hours instead of the four it took everyone else. She borrowed my roller skates when I was only seven, and they fit her tiny feet and we went roller-skating together. How many grown-ups do that? Over three decades and three generations, she charmed every one of us.

Jessie lived years beyond the doctors' expectations. That fits her personality and force of will so well that I have a hard time believing she is gone. I have never been one for those fuzzy, childish, earthly-minded views of heaven, but today I find myself wondering if there are roller skates up there."

                                               

"Watching Gary and Jesse holding hands......patient and caring, loving and .....honouring........being privy to how  continued to trust in the Lord's blessing and healing....the evening still plays in my mind."......only now.......its Jesus Holding Jessie...

Thank you Gary and Jessie - for allowing me to share in your world.......if only for a little while.....

And Gary ~

May your memories always be ones of Joy ~ Jessie's Joy ...

 

 

                                                        

                                             

PS ... for the rest of our friends on here, there is a spectacular rolling memorial going on Gary's facebook page, just friend him and look at the profile...Please Visit Gary's Post and drop him a note? :-)

October | Breast Cancer Awareness Month