Heather

I've been meaning to post about this for a while but was never quite sure how to do it in the right way. But I feel like I have been so incredibly blessed to have had Heather in my life and that I would be a little selfish not to share her story that has forever changed mine.

Heather was my volleyball coach. She started coaching us in 9th grade and as we moved up so did she. And ya know, it's amazing that she stuck with us because we were not always the nicest girls to be around. But stick with us she did. She was a wonderful voice of reason and was always a friend. Those who knew her knew how much she could love and care. She saw me at my worst and very meanest, but she never gave up on me. She knew more about me and my life than most high school coaches do. She always made time to be invested in my life.

After I graduated Heather was diagnosed with ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease. For those of you who don't know this disease is horrible. Your body slowly shuts down, but your mind stays fully intact and functioning. It was really hard to see Heather struggle with this disease. I remember going back to my high school to watch a basketball game and helping Heather down from the bleachers and onto her feet. It was heartbreaking and humbling to carry someone who had carried you for so long. Heather, who taught me to serve, set, and spike could no longer stand on her own. Sometimes I would want to avoid her, somehow thinking I was avoiding the disease, but she never ceased to be a persistant influence in my life.

This Christmas break I went to visit Heather with a few of my teammates. While there she told us of her decision to take herself off life support at the end of January. She was no longer breathing on her own. She insisted that we know that she was not giving up. She didn't want us to remember her as a quiter. She just simply told us that she had to make this decision before it got so bad that she couldn't make it for herself. She told us that she had counseled with the Lord and she knew that He was happy with what she had done in this life and that she had work to do on the other side. The spirit that filled the room at that moment was almost palpable. I knew that she knew she was doing the right thing. As I digested the situation over the next few weeks I was overwhelmed with gratitude that we can know what's next, that we don't have to be scared of death because we have a loving Heavenly Father who can't wait to have us in His arm's again. Shelby asked Heather if she was scared and Heather just pointed to a picture of Christ and said "That's where I am going. How can I be scared?" We are so lucky that we can have that peace when we consider death. Peace and Death are not words used in the same sentence very often, but through Christ peace and death can be together. Heather died last week and I think of her a lot, but I am not sad. I am happy that she can walk and jump and play again. I am glad she was in my life and I am glad she shared her death with me.