visionDYNAMIX

It was originally my intention when I got this blog post up to immediately start with daily updates, both in text and with my Project365 and Photo-A-Day projects.

However, since the post has gone up, life has been an emotional roller coaster. Among other things, I went through another relocation.

But everything seems so insignificant now. On Thursday, Oct 14, 2010, my family lost a close friend to Breast Cancer. (Yes, the same cause that Im working in fundraising for!)

Mrs. Maria Tang started working for my mother's nail salon back in the late 90s. I soon became friends with her daughters, Kim and Cathy. Soon after, she had opened her own salon, but we had moved in down the street from them. I remember her telling my mom, "Anyone can loan someone some money for some time. But it takes some pride to teach someone a trade."

Fast forward a couple years. My family was in the middle of buying a new construction home in California. Shortly before the house was scheduled to be ready for move-in, we sold our business, packed our possessions, and moved. We were living with my uncle until our house was completed. Delay after delay, we eventually gave up and were going to head back the NorthEast. We were able to buy back our nail salon, but the apartment my father found for rent was not ready for move in for another 2 weeks.

Mrs. Tang and her family had recently purchased a home. They offered my family a room in their home while we got our crap together.

Now, youre probably thinking to yourself..what the heck is he going on for? Well..acts of kindness like these were the norm for Mrs. Tang.

A few weeks ago, after I had come home for the week from my apartment in Boston, I had visited her in her home. Though she was not able to converse with me, she did know that I had come to visit.

I saw her on Wednesday. Lying on her bed, breathing from an oxygen machine. The sight absolutely broke my heart. I had wished there was something I could do..but what? What could I do? I felt so helpless. I was watching someone's last hours, in front of my eyes.

Thursday morning, I took the train to class in Boston. On the train home, around 2pm or so, I sent Kim a text. "How's mom?" Her response: "Mom passed away shortly after noon today." At the young age of 49, Mrs. Tang lost her years long fight with Breast cancer.

There I sat, on the train, phone in hand. My eyes immediately filled with tears. Wow..the world just lost a wonderful person. Try as I may, could not get the thought off the my mind for the rest of the ride.

My dad had picked me up from the train station. We were going to work on a project at home. I said "Dad. Di 10 (thats what we called her in vietnamese) passed away." You could immediately tell his mood changed. We headed to their home.

Mrs. Tang layed in the same bed. So peaceful. My first thought was, "At least she's no longer in pain. At least she's no longer suffering." In light of that, emotions could not be held back.

Mrs. Tang's elderly mother sat by her side, weeping. In the last minutes before the funeral home had arrived, she finally broke down. She said words that are now stuck in my brain. No mother should have to lose a child.

When the 2 women from the funeral home came to take Mrs. Tang away, I watched Mr. Tang, Kevin (Mrs. Tang's only son), Kim, and Cathy say goodbye to their mom, along with some other family members. It was an absolutely heartbreaking sight. Everything Ive been upset about the past few weeks, things that I complained about earlier that morning, meant nothing. These young people have just lost their mother. Kevin, who's in Middle school. Kim, who's 6 months pregnant. Cathy in medical school. Will never see their mother again. The home was filled with family and friends who came to grieve. With Kin's grandmother in my arms, we followed as the 2 women pushed Mrs. Tang out of the home and into a van. We walked back inside as the van pulled away, I looked back, and my father had Cathy and Kevin in his arms, crying. "Kids, you no longer have a mother," he cried.

My father and I went home soon after. I immediately thought..how can I help? What can I do? I started working on memorial decals, but couldnt get anything I could come up with to cut. I gave up. Woke up the next morning, started working again. Eventually, I got something to work.

Note that the decals are not for sale. They will be forwarded to Kim and she will distribute them as she feels appropriate.

Mrs. Maria Tang, we'll miss you. You were a wonderful woman. You faught strong, but you have to fight no longer. No longer will you be in pain. Forever in our hearts you'll be. RIP.