Of Rainbows, Balloons, Butterflies and Angels:
A Tribute in Memory of Alyssa Nicole "Sissy" Ashby
June 6, 1983- August 3, 1999
It is now 14 years since the death of our Angel, Alyssa Nicole "Sissy" Ashby. Were she alive, she would be 30 years old. It is just hard to believe.
The picture below is the last picture that was taken of Sissy before her death. The picture was taken on Saturday and Sissy died on Tuesday. I had been out to the McMurry camp. On my way back to town, I picked up one of those "Big Gulp" drinks. When I got to the house, the cup was pretty full. And, it took a while but, sip by sip, Sissy began to manipulate the cup. Each time she lifted it, she got tickled about it...Eventually, she was able to pick the whole cup up. The higher she lifted the cup, the more tickled she became with herself...until we were all full out laughing. Fay even warned me to stop. She said, "You know Sissy has a bad heart. Don't get her too over-excited."
The following Tuesday, Sissy was scheduled for a procedure. And, that was the day that God took her home. We celebrated her life two days later.
I have to say that it was a pretty amazing service. The church was packed. The theme of the service was "Of Butterflies, Rainbows, Angels and Balloons." There were a couple of hundred balloons throughout the whole sanctuary. There were butterflies every where! It was really beautiful.
Following the service, we invited everyone to grab a balloon and follow us out to the cemetery for a balloon release. Normally, only immediate family and very close friends process to the cemetery. Honestly, there had to be more than 200 people there. We had planned the graveside service to be near the time of sunset. We gathered there in the cemetery, as Bette Midler crooned "Wind Beneath My Wings." Following the completion of the song, I instructed, the family first, to release the balloons.
It was a hot summer afternoon. There was just a slight breeze. But, then, the most amazing thing happened! All of the balloons drifted heavenward in the direction of the setting sun---except for one. There was one balloon that just had a harder time catching up with the others. It lagged, noticeably behind. Someone called attention to it and said, "Look! It's handicapped just like Sissy." Then, in moments, those balloons formed what seemed to be a gigantic heart in the sky. It was amazing! (We even have a picture of it somewhere.)
The principal support network for parents of those who have Tri-Somy 18 is called S.O.F.T. At the organization's annual meeting, there is a balloon launch. It is called the Ryan Cantrell Memorial Balloon launch. Each year, the children who have died with Trisomy throughout all of the years, are named and a balloon is sent heavenward in their name. The balloon release had already been celebrated in July before Sissy's death. Still, while we were finishing our celebration at the cemetery, there were balloons from all over the country that were sent heavenword in Sissy's name. There were our balloons, as well as balloons from Minnesota, Delaware and other places where the news of Sissy’s death has been made known throughout the country.
Following the balloon release, we headed back to the church for the most amazing party, unlike any other post-funeral party that I had ever been invited to! Sissy had been NG tube fed every two to four hours for all of her life. Her mom wanted a party with all of the things that Sissy could not eat for those 16 years: candy, cake, pizza, ice cream...it was a feast!
In one of the prayers of our in the Committal service, we pray, "For all that (Name) has given to make us what we are, for that of him/her which lives and grows in each of us, and for his/her life that in your love will never end, we give you thanks..."
Sis, thank you for that part of you that lives and grows in me...
