And the Sun Shined.
Our family of three sat in a still, sterile room: a stark change from the warm, Christmas-decorated home we’d happily enjoyed with our amazing newborn daughter. In that room, our fighter fought bravely and beautifully, confounding and amazing even the most seasoned medical practitioners with her peaceful and characteristic tenacity.
We looked out the hospital room window at the outside world on New Year’s Eve. Everything had happened so fast: late-onset Group B Strep Meningitis unexpectedly and unstoppably sprinting its devastating course. The past week had been gloomy, dark, and dreary. But on the day that Jesus took Eva to Heaven, the scene outdoors changed. The clouds opened up. The sky turned a light blue.
And the sun shined.
We commented then on the bright, bright sun.
But eventually, we had to leave that room. And then the real darkness set in. There is no tragedy in life like the death of a child. The new year brought with it all of the pain and inequity of such a traumatizing, empty, and desolate blur.
Somehow, three months later, I found myself calling the Meningitis Foundation of America and Omaha Parks and Recreation to investigate opportunities to honor Eva and help others. Eva’s First Annual Life-Giving Memorial Walk to benefit the MFA started coming together. Looking back, I know I did not do this. Eva did.
Eva means “life” or “life-giving.” Her mission is so much greater than this world, and she instills in us the motivation and ability to carry out amazing acts of love and life in her honor. Donating much-needed breast milk to the Denver Milk Bank, giving generously to her church’s nursery renovation project, and providing significant funds to the Meningitis Foundation of America are only a few ways Eva’s life-giving legacy lives. We are, in the simplest terms, unendingly blessed with and proud of our powerful daughter.
On August 23, 2014, incredible friends and family gathered to honor Eva and raise funds and awareness for Meningitis in Eva's Inaugural Life-Giving Memorial Walk. The appreciation and gratitude we have for the hundreds of people who donated to Eva’s cause could never be expressed through words; we are humbled, grateful, and in awe of the compassion and generosity of all of you who helped, donated, and/or walked with us to honor Eva and fight this monstrous infection.
That Saturday, record summer heat baked Omaha. We’d prayed for nice weather, and though the heat loomed, it was not insufferable. Event-dampening rain stayed away, blue skies surrounded us, a nice breeze swirled from the Missouri River, and white, puffy clouds speckled the sky.
And the sun shined.
Hundreds of Eva’s friends and family gathered to honor her and show their support. Arriving at Miller’s Landing, we welcomed so many compassionate people who had sent in their walk forms, and we registered many caring more who had heard of the event or seen our TV interview. Proudly donning our gray Eva’s Life-Giving Memorial Walk t-shirts, with Eva’s red bows and black and white art cards, we walkers began the two-mile trek over the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge and back. Eva’s incredible presence showed: in the smiles of family, kindness of volunteers, awesome support of friends, determination in the heated walkers, laughter from children, and warm rays of the sun.
God’s word proclaims, “a new day will dawn on us from above because our God is loving and merciful” (Luke 1:78).
As the wristbands from Eva’s First Annual Life-Giving Memorial Walk state, every day is “‘A New Day’ for Eva Kay.” Every day in Heaven —in which the warm, radiant Son shines— is a new day for Eva. We cannot wait to see her again, but in the meantime, we’ll continue to find ways, in the new days we are given here, to perpetuate her life-giving legacy.
Thank you for supporting Eva’s life-giving legacy and donating your time and money to raise awareness for the Meningitis Foundation of America.
Because of Eva’s loving friends and family (that’s YOU), we raised $10,000 for Eva’s Life-Giving Memorial Fund and the Meningitis Foundation of America. We are in awe of this amazing figure made possible by your generosity and care. Of that $10,000, $7,775 has been given directly to the MFA, whose mission is to “Educate. Vaccinate. Eradicate.” Through educational materials and awareness efforts, the MFA seeks a world where Meningitis infections are no more. That is our wish, too.
Thank you for your support and love always. Thank you for making Eva’s First Annual Life-Giving Memorial Walk such a successful event. We are grateful for the memories. Our hearts smiled at the love—of friends, family, volunteers, and our angel. Music played. Incredible people donated. Eva’s walkers walked. And the sun shined.
We look forward to next year’s life-giving events.
Our family of three sat in a still, sterile room: a stark change from the warm, Christmas-decorated home we’d happily enjoyed with our amazing newborn daughter. In that room, our fighter fought bravely and beautifully, confounding and amazing even the most seasoned medical practitioners with her peaceful and characteristic tenacity.
We looked out the hospital room window at the outside world on New Year’s Eve. Everything had happened so fast: late-onset Group B Strep Meningitis unexpectedly and unstoppably sprinting its devastating course. The past week had been gloomy, dark, and dreary. But on the day that Jesus took Eva to Heaven, the scene outdoors changed. The clouds opened up. The sky turned a light blue.
And the sun shined.
We commented then on the bright, bright sun.
But eventually, we had to leave that room. And then the real darkness set in. There is no tragedy in life like the death of a child. The new year brought with it all of the pain and inequity of such a traumatizing, empty, and desolate blur.
Somehow, three months later, I found myself calling the Meningitis Foundation of America and Omaha Parks and Recreation to investigate opportunities to honor Eva and help others. Eva’s First Annual Life-Giving Memorial Walk to benefit the MFA started coming together. Looking back, I know I did not do this. Eva did.
Eva means “life” or “life-giving.” Her mission is so much greater than this world, and she instills in us the motivation and ability to carry out amazing acts of love and life in her honor. Donating much-needed breast milk to the Denver Milk Bank, giving generously to her church’s nursery renovation project, and providing significant funds to the Meningitis Foundation of America are only a few ways Eva’s life-giving legacy lives. We are, in the simplest terms, unendingly blessed with and proud of our powerful daughter.
On August 23, 2014, incredible friends and family gathered to honor Eva and raise funds and awareness for Meningitis in Eva's Inaugural Life-Giving Memorial Walk. The appreciation and gratitude we have for the hundreds of people who donated to Eva’s cause could never be expressed through words; we are humbled, grateful, and in awe of the compassion and generosity of all of you who helped, donated, and/or walked with us to honor Eva and fight this monstrous infection.
That Saturday, record summer heat baked Omaha. We’d prayed for nice weather, and though the heat loomed, it was not insufferable. Event-dampening rain stayed away, blue skies surrounded us, a nice breeze swirled from the Missouri River, and white, puffy clouds speckled the sky.
And the sun shined.
Hundreds of Eva’s friends and family gathered to honor her and show their support. Arriving at Miller’s Landing, we welcomed so many compassionate people who had sent in their walk forms, and we registered many caring more who had heard of the event or seen our TV interview. Proudly donning our gray Eva’s Life-Giving Memorial Walk t-shirts, with Eva’s red bows and black and white art cards, we walkers began the two-mile trek over the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge and back. Eva’s incredible presence showed: in the smiles of family, kindness of volunteers, awesome support of friends, determination in the heated walkers, laughter from children, and warm rays of the sun.
God’s word proclaims, “a new day will dawn on us from above because our God is loving and merciful” (Luke 1:78).
As the wristbands from Eva’s First Annual Life-Giving Memorial Walk state, every day is “‘A New Day’ for Eva Kay.” Every day in Heaven —in which the warm, radiant Son shines— is a new day for Eva. We cannot wait to see her again, but in the meantime, we’ll continue to find ways, in the new days we are given here, to perpetuate her life-giving legacy.
Thank you for supporting Eva’s life-giving legacy and donating your time and money to raise awareness for the Meningitis Foundation of America.
Because of Eva’s loving friends and family (that’s YOU), we raised $10,000 for Eva’s Life-Giving Memorial Fund and the Meningitis Foundation of America. We are in awe of this amazing figure made possible by your generosity and care. Of that $10,000, $7,775 has been given directly to the MFA, whose mission is to “Educate. Vaccinate. Eradicate.” Through educational materials and awareness efforts, the MFA seeks a world where Meningitis infections are no more. That is our wish, too.
Thank you for your support and love always. Thank you for making Eva’s First Annual Life-Giving Memorial Walk such a successful event. We are grateful for the memories. Our hearts smiled at the love—of friends, family, volunteers, and our angel. Music played. Incredible people donated. Eva’s walkers walked. And the sun shined.
We look forward to next year’s life-giving events.