The Other Side of Heaven (15 page)

Name:
Jeffrey K.

Name of loved one
:  Bonnie L K.

Age
: 53

Relationship:
Mother

How they died:  
Sickness

A little about the one who passed:
My mother was my hero, she
fought so hard for me when I was in school. She was a great Christian. And the
best listener I’ve ever known.

How would one moment change your life?
I would have the chance
to tell her how much that short moment changed my life. And to share all that I
have done in the past 8 years and to just talk about her grandson and great
granddaughter and to just say I love her and miss her every day.

What would you want to say:
Thank you for telling me to get the
Hell back there, God isn’t finished with you yet
.

Name:
Thomas Oboyle

Name of loved one
: Bernie

Age
: 59

Relationship:
Mother

How they died:  
Sickness

A little about the one who passed:
She was my world, she raised
me for most of my life. And she always took care of me, was always there. She
was my hero.

How would one moment change your life?
Being able to tell her
how much I loved her before she died.

What would you want to say:
How much I love and miss her.

Name:
Julie
Fontes

Name of loved one
:
Nancy

Age
: 62

Relationship:
Mother

How they died:  
Sickness

A little about the one who passed:
My mom survived an abusive
marriage, to go on and inspire many with her quiet compassion. During her life
she worked with countless Ill children and babies, while comforting their
families as a medical secretary. She would often bend the rules to make sure
that families could be together and was so respected by the hospital, they
always looked the other way. While my mom fought her 2 year battle with cancer,
she was treated like royalty and cried alongside everyone from the laundry
staff to the chief of medicine. The funny thing was she would cry with them for
them. Never out of self pity.

How would one moment change your life?
I had just boarded my
plane to see her when she passed. And though I spent a lot of time with her
toward the end, I feel being able to say I was sorry for the hell I caused,
would give me the opportunity to release the guilt I have. As a mother myself,
I now know she made it look so easy. I’d ask her to impart at least a tiny bit
of that wisdom and compassion on to me.

What would you want to say:
I would say I was sorry. I wasn’t
the easiest teen. In fact, I was a nightmare. But my mom got through it with
grace and an endless well of love.

Name:
Susan

Name of loved one
: Harriette

Age
: 74

Relationship:
Mother

How they died:  
Sickness

A little about the one who passed:
Loved life, had the ability
to play with a child and make them laugh.

How would one moment change your life?
I just want to be able to
tell her how much she meant to me. It would give me closure. By the time I
drove from North Dakota to Texas she was already in a coma and I have always
felt like I never got to say goodbye. My husband was in the Air Force then and
we came home from Germany only six months before she died. We were stationed in
North Dakota, and she was in Houston Texas. We had plans for time together but
never got that chance.

What would you want to say:
How much I loved you.

Name:
Frances

Name of loved one
: Barbara

Age
: 74

Relationship:
Mother

How they died:  
Sickness

A little about the one who passed:
She was my best friend....the
only person that ever could really make me smile from my heart. She had so much
patience. She was always there for me. Never judged. Accepted me and encouraged
me to be who I am. I am the person I am because of her...not a day goes by
without me missing her. And wishing I could have her back

How would one moment change your life?
Just to hold her. And
have her call me.
My Fran.

What would you want to say:
How much I loved her...how much I’ve
missed her...everything I’ve been through in the last years she’s been gone.

Name:
Carol Ricketts

Name of loved one
:
Jessie Bee
Stewart Wissinger

Age
: 65

Relationship:
Mother

How they died:  
Sickness

A little about the one who passed:
Everyone was always welcome
in our home...didn’t matter if they had 1dollar or a million. She treated
everyone well...when she left for heaven, there was standing room only in the
chapel...she taught me about giving. .. and she always said we all get here the
same way, leave here the same way and everyone’s shit stinks....if they say it
doesn’t, they’re trying to sell you something you don’t need.

How would one moment change your life?
She was my inspiration,
she gave me strength.

What would you want to say:
I miss you every day.

Name:
Christina Huckaby

Name of loved one
:
Stephanie

Age
: 17

Relationship:
Sister

How they died:  
Self Inflicted

A little about the one who passed:
Stephanie was quiet and
reserved, a damaged soul. However she had a very deep love for those closest to
her that very few outsiders saw.

How would one moment change your life?
I would be able to
finally let go of the anger, questions and guilt I carried all of these years.

What would you want to say:
I love you, miss you and while I
don’t understand why she took her life, I forgive her for everything that led
to that one irreversible decision.

Name:
Laura Tremblay

Name of loved one
:
Sasha

Age
: 8

Relationship:
The first dog I owned and he was my spirit guide

How they died:  
Sickness

A little about the one who passed:
He was a dog but felt like he
was a person. I rescued him at 5 weeks a old and he was imprinted on me from
that day forward. He was there for me during my depression and when I felt
nobody else was there for me. I loved him more than any other human being in my
life. I miss him every day and look forward to the day when I will be reunited with
him.

How would one moment change your life?
I would be able to have
closure as his death was completely unexpected. I thought he was healthy and 72
hours later I was saying goodbye to him. If I had known I would have done so
much more with him and loved him that much more. I would have told him how
grateful I was to have him in my life.

What would you want to say:
I love you and I am so sorry, I did
not know you were sick.

For taking the
time to answer the survey, I wish to thank and dedicate this book to:

RaniDae 
Tacey                               

Melissa Woodruff

Brenda R

Cindy

Ione Couch

Stacy Ruff

Susan P.

Sophia Neuzil

Susan Hayes

Cathy B.

Amber Williams

Priscilla Norris

Cherye Elliot

Monica Orluk

JoJo G.

Michael D.

Amanda

Sherry

Annika W.

Shelley

Beth

Kayleigh

Paul S.

Julie Colegate

Adrienne Scott

Vickyjo

Rosemary Spiteri

Ann

Jeanne

Hazel

Thelma

Gina

Sheila Murray

Jeanette

Scott A. Johns

Jackie

Emma Thomas

Linda

Natalie Walton

Michael Leon

Carol S.

Artie Williams

Paula

Shona McLaren

Christi Howze

Debbie J.

Jeffrey K.

Thomas O’Boyle

Julie Fontes

Susan

Frances

Carol Ricketts

Christina Huckaby

Laura Tremblay