Grey Matters

Fly, fly precious one
Your endless journey has begun
Take your gentle happiness
Far too beautiful for this
Cross over to the other shore
There is peace forevermore…

As you might recall from my previous post on the Fast Freddie Five Mile Foot Feast, I ran that race for a little 12 year old girl, who I was connected to via a group called Brain Cancer Share Your Shirts.  Her name was Trinitie and in 2012, she was diagnosed with a brain tumor known as Glioblastoma Multiforme Stage 4.

The concept was simple…run a race and send your race shirt, race bib, and a little note to the child you are connected with via the program.  So, on a bitterly cold Thanksgiving morning, I hauled out to my five mile race and battled the cold temperatures to churn out my best 5 mile race to date.  It was by no means fast…but it was fast enough.  And I did it for Trinitie.  I boxed up my race shirt (a beautiful long sleeve tech shirt), my race bib, enclosed a card, and threw in the signs I made for the occasion, a ribbon, and a few extras because, without having even met Trinitie…she touched my life.  The box was sent off to the address provided.

And then…Trinitie took a turn for the worse.  But it seemed she was going to bounce back.  That’s what kids do, right?  They bounce.

Then yesterday…the most heartbreaking message was posted on Trinitie’s page as I was getting ready to leave work.  Her mom wrote that Trinitie had a massive brain hemorrhage and was unresponsive.  She was being airlifted to Children’s Hospital.  She asked for strength…and prayers.

Strength.  Prayers.

So simple…yet I know every person reading that status felt so helpless and powerless.

This morning…the news I read on Trinitie brought me to tears.  The Brain Cancer Share Your Shirts page stated:

Miss Trinitie earned wings a few hours ago. She’s now flying high with the rest of the angels. To those who supported her during her fight, know you touched the life of a child. Please join me in prayer/positive thoughts for her Mom & family. Fly high Trinitie!

I was brought to tears.  It seems foolish, perhaps, since I never personally met Trinitie.  But I felt so connected to her.  I ran a race for her.  I thought of her through each cold, hilly mile.  She provided inspiration and strength.  It is hard to believe such a beautiful and brave girl was now gone.

Her fight was not in vain.  She touched so many people with her story.  She touched my life…and never even knew it.  Which is why I sit here, crying, because I feel like I lost a part of myself.  That’s what running for someone does to you.  It connects you in ways you never even realize.  I am heartbroken at the loss of such a young life.  But Trinitie was a fighter.  And she went to battle each day, brave, relentless, and she did it all with a smile.  She never lost her spirit.

I hope that her fighting spirit and courage continue to live on in each of us…and that her soul watches over all the other children in this world who are fighting the battle she fought.  Her strength, her courage, her grace live on in a beautiful soul that went to fly with the angels last night.

Fly high, Trinitie!  Thank you for letting me be a small part of your inspirational life.