Today I am taking a break from my normal humorous writing to remember an amazing young woman who touched my life. This is the third anniversary of her passing and the world is a little dimmer without her here.
I met Meaghan Colleen Herrity at Open House. She had just found out she was in my third grade class. She didn't want to be in my class, she wanted to be in another class with her good friend and the teacher that threw candy when you got the answer right. Along with 22 other anxious and disappointed third graders (I was the new teacher at my school that year, they didn't know me or want me) and their parents she came to greet me but she didn't show her disappointment. Instead she turned on a 1000 watt smile and all the charm in the world. She politely greeted me then looked around my boring looking classroom, I had been hired at the last minute and didn't have all the cute posters, bulletin boards, and decorations that the other teachers had. She stayed for a few minutes then left. As it turned out she had a great year in third grade. She was a fun,capable, delightful, enthusastic learner. She loved to laugh and enjoyed joking around with me. She hated to take tests, and sometimes her test anxiety got the best of her, but she learned that year that she could manage tests on her terms. She was, best of all, a Red Sox girl! I learned that Target was an awesome place for retail therapy, a good joke is always fun, and that some things are way more important than any test. That however was really just the beginning of this story.
Meaghan moved on to 4th grade, 5th, middle school and finally high school. Then in the spring of her freshman year of high school she was diagnosed with a grade IV glioblastoma, a brain tumor that had settled in her nervous system. The prognosis was grim, she wasn't given much hope and due to the placement of the tumor she also had lost her ability to walk. Meaghan, however, was a fighter and she did walk again. She outlived the doctor's gloomy prognosis and grew stronger. She didn't give up, or give in. She fought hard for 2 years, inspiring those who knew and loved her. She never complained, she just kept pushing to be better, even when the cancer returned and once again took away her ability to walk. She rallied her classmates to raise money for to help other children with cancer. She was always optimistic, even when doctors gave her the worst news. She made a point to keep up with her school work. She was elected as the Jr. Class Homecoming Princess. She was honored by York County with a courage award. She kept up with her friends, she shopped, she watched TV. She lived! She loved! She made waves!
I will leave you with one of Meaghan's amazing poems:
Rebirth
My eyes grow old at the changing colors
Bright orange, crimson reds, golden yellows
Autumn’s chilly grasp takes hold of the days
Bitter winds blow from the North, East and West
The clear blue sky turns to a dreary gray
Trees ablaze with color become barren
The ground is cold and hard beneath my feet
It is covered by a mountain of leaves
Soon winter will descend upon the Earth
The fresh snow covers the death of autumn
Beneath the soil, nature is at slumber
The warmth of the sun brings hope for new life
The empty limbs of trees are green and lush
Their beauty breathes new life into my soul
The aroma of spring wakes my senses
Nature’s renewal, behold its splendor
Beautiful colors lift my weak spirit
Beautiful colors lift my weak spirit
I look to the heavens, my soul renewed
The promise of rebirth is now fulfilled
To learn more about Meaghan's legacy, The Meaghan C. Herrity Charitable Foundation click here: http://www.meaghancherritycharitablefoundation.org/
Meaghan's story is available at the following link. Proceeds go to her foundation:
thank you, Kelly
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