Friday, December 24, 2010

Remembering Emily

Yesterday I attended the celebration of Emily Berkeley's life, which was the reason for my trip back to Colorado. It was held in a huge airport hangar at Mile-Hi Skydiving, where I spent so many of my skydiving years and all of my instructional ones. As we walked toward the hangar, we saw the fence decorated in Emily's colors, yellow and blue.
When we walked inside, we saw the setup at the front of the hanger with an enormous screen showing literally hundreds of rotating pictures of Emily through the years. A podium with flowers, a microphone, thoughtful kleenex, were the focus point where many of Emily's family members spoke with such love and emotion about their beloved sister, niece, and cousin. I never knew that she had such a huge extended family, and Lee (she called him Kiwi) had his mother and other family relatives who flew in from New Zealand. They took up the first four rows of chairs, out of more than 300 that had been set up in the hangar.

After listening to the wonderful, funny and heartfelt family memories, we watched an Honor Guard from the Air Force Academy (Emily was the instructor for many cadets) fold and present the triangle flag to Kiwi. Then the back of the hangar opened up and we followed the family out to an area behind to watch a flyover of three planes, all of which she had made numerous jumps from. The picture isn't perfect but it shows the planes, lights ablaze, and every one of us skydivers cried as we watched them fly overhead and then peel off in a beautiful flower.
When we went back into the hangar, there was a table set up with all the red wine we had been asked to bring to share, and trays of hot food in three different locations around the inside of the hangar. The mic was opened to any and all who wanted to share memories of Emily. Sarah, my wonderful host, read her tribute and one that Kiwi had written from the point of view of Emily's wonderful dog, Dottie. More than five hundred, maybe closer to six hundred people had come to the celebration. This picture might give you a bit of an idea of the size of the crowd. (Remember you can enlarge any picture.)
As people ate and drank and things began to become a little less emotional, people hugged and gathered in groups to laugh, cry, and share together. I saw so many people I once instructed in skydiving, and people who have become an integral part of the skydiving scene since I left. My earrings were hugged off. When we got back home I realized they are now somewhere in that big hangar, two heart-shaped earrings that I hope will be picked up by someone as a reminder of the huge heart that Emily had. Four people will live long lives because of the donation of Emily's organs, two of them heart valves. So it is fitting that those two earrings stayed behind in the place where we celebrated her amazing life.
I will treasure this picture forever: it's me with Emily's beautiful mom, with Emily and Kiwi looking over our shoulder from the big screen behind us. Goodbye, my dear friend, I will never forget you and will one day think of you without pain and only remember the beautiful person you will always be in my heart.

28 comments:

  1. DJan,

    Thanks so much for sharing these poignant pictures. I wondered when I would see your post about the memorial and kept checking your blog yesterday. And now here it is.

    Emily sounded like a very lovable person, beloved by all whom she touched. Perhaps, I'll get to meet her in the next life, too. Hope so!

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  2. So heartbreaking. I never knew her but tears are nonetheless rolling down my face as I type this. This is a beautiful post, Jan.

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  3. Oh Jan, this is such a touching and beautiful tribute to your dear friend, Emily. The heart-shaped earring, hugged off of you.. that's just so fitting. Big hugs to you.

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  4. Wow, the size of that crowd speaks tomes about Emily's life. Thank you so much for sharing these, DJan.

    May 2011 and your holidays be wonderful in spite of Emily's death.

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  5. Oh, DJan...I'm so sorry...Sending you much, much love and heartfelt sympathy...she will obviously be greatly missed!!!

    Wishing you peace, comfort and love!! Merry Christmas, dearest DJan!! Love, Janine xoxo

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  6. Oh I had tears reading this, DJan...but oh, my gosh, what a beautiful tribute to her...she was so very, very loved....a goal many people will never reach and she did it in so few years! May your heart heal and may you someday not think of her with pain, but with gladness in her heart that you got to share a small part of her life with her...I am sure she is smiling down on all of you from her well earned place in Heaven.

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  7. I too was taken aback by the size of the crowd. She touched many lives in such a short time! Thanks for sharing this with us. Peace to you and to all who grieve.

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  8. That was a wonderful tribute, Jan. Bravo.

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  9. She must have been such a wonderful person to have touched so many lives! This is a beautiful post in her honor!

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  10. This was an amazing memorial service for such a lovely, young woman. No doubt she will be sorely missed.

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  11. Emily must have been a truly amazing person to have touched so many lives. Thanks for sharing the memorial with us.
    Thinking of you DJan.
    Judy

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  12. Wow, it is hard to know what to say. The fact that so many people gathered at such a busy time of year to pay tribute to Emily says so much about who she was. Hugs to you, DJan.

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  13. What a beautiful ceremony!Emily was sure loved a great deal,look at all the people she touched in her short stay here on earth.Thinking of you D-Jan at this time.

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  14. I hope you can feel the big hug I'm sending your way DJan. It was a beautiful tribute for Emily. That's a whole lotta love in that hangar. Seems she'll be missed by many....a beautiful life will be missed. Hope you're back home with the smart guy and taking some time for yourself.
    love and light to you. xo

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  15. I am impressed with this post. It is always nice to know how much you are loved before you pass but afterwards is nice too.

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  16. What a heart felt tribute by her community and close friend.

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  17. I am glad you went for the service, that day when you remember only the sweet memories of a good friend are getting closer now.
    Very impressive service..lots of people. I am sure her Mom appreciated your hug:)

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  18. A loving tribute. I expect you are glad you went. Emily's mum must have felt well supported.
    Blessings, Star

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  19. we should all be memorialized with such heart and love and class and style

    beautiful post for your post

    the image of your heart earrings being picked up by someone else who loves Emily made me smile and cry

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  20. I meant beautiful post for your friend!
    I really have to stop hitting post comment until I read my comment

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  21. Thanks for posting about the service for Emily. She touched so many people. There is one star that shines brighter then all the others, it's the one that she's sitting on watching over all those that loved her.
    Hugs, Mary

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  22. Oh, goodness, that is just too sad for words. She was much too young to die. My heart goes out to her family and friends...

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  23. A beautiful and loving tribute!
    Definitely a story shared that is fitting to receive the POTW award!
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  24. What a beautiful tribute to a woman of great heart. How appropriate that someone else will find your heart earrings, as others will be given life-sustaining pieces of Emily's heart.
    May you and all of Emily's family & friends find comfort and peace.

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  25. What a touching a lovely tribute for your friend. It must have given much comfort to Emily’s family to see so many people who cared for her. All my sympathy and warmest thought to you during this difficult time DJan.

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  26. What a beautiful tribute to your friend. She sounds amazing. Clearly. She was loved by so many.

    Congratulations on your well deserved POTW.

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  27. oh DJan i'm so sorry to hear of your loss.
    I love that you celebrated Emily's life
    kia kaha
    xxx

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  28. She sounds like a person anyone would have loved to have known. So sorry for your loss. This is a beautiful tribute.

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