Melissa's Dash
Our spunky red-headed daughter came into this world crying on June 11, 1970. I always joked that she never shut up after that. But, unfortunately, she passed quietly on May 8, 2013. I’ve always heard you should remember the dash in someone’s life, so I would like to share Melissa’s dash. Melissa Renee Loy Kalbfell 1970-2013.
Melissa was a smart, talkative child with a big vocabulary. When she was three years old, I thought she would be the first woman president. She did well in school, only having problems with talking too much. She was always a giving child. As an adult, she would give someone the shirt off her back, even if it was the only shirt she had.
She married young and became a mother quickly to her two precious sons. She loved her boys more than anything. She enjoyed cooking their favorite dishes and playing games with them. She became a loving grandmother in 2009. Her grandson was her pride and joy. He loved his Grandma LaLa, and still misses her today.
On May 6, 2013, Melissa had a severe asthma attack and went into to cardiac arrest. The doctors tried to save her, but she had been without oxygen too long and was pronounced brain dead on May 8th. But her story doesn’t end there. Because of her generous soul, she was an organ donor. A beautiful teenage girl lives a happy and healthy life with exciting college plans for a wonderful future because she received Melissa’s Gift of Life. Three grown children on the east coast have their father because of her generosity. Countless others have benefited from her gifts of tissue, bone and skin.
We miss Melissa everyday, but we are also very proud of her and happy that others live on because of her gifts.
