This I believe… that life is a rainbow…..
Some of us are fortunate enough to get the chance
to meet one of those people who teach you to take the time to live, laugh, and dance.
Misty was born with a hole in her heart. Through countless doctor’s appointments and twelve open heart surgeries, Misty and her family kept the faith. She dated and hung out with friends just like any other normal teenager, bound and determined to not be defined by her infirmities. However, as Misty’s condition worsened, local doctors had to send her to a larger hospital in Boston. Misty was uneasy about the situation, and she told her parents that she would only go if she saw a rainbow. Her rainbow appeared, and off to Boston they went. While in surgery, the surgeon went up too far and burst the main artery to Misty’s heart. She was forced to stay in the hospital for weeks while her family and friends nervously waited for news. Misty, being the fighter that she was, refused to give up, and she soon returned to be the Sunday school class clown. Doctors everywhere marveled at this miracle called Misty. Her display of faith and courage greatly affected me, and I realized just how much Misty meant to me. She became my person. We joked about being twins, and we constantly giggled our way through Sunday services. She told me about her secret tattoos and illegally rode my dad’s John Deere through the China Garden buffet parking lot. You would have never known she had a weak heart. Everything was wrong with her heart, when, in reality, everything was right with it.
On June 19, 2006 I received the news that Misty was no longer with us. As I struggled to say goodbye, I came to the realization that I did not have to. I made a vow to myself that I would strive to live for the rainbow so, in a sense, a part of her would live on through me. Like everyone else, I have days where I feel that I can’t go another mile, but it is during these times that I think of Misty. I remind myself that she rose above adversity, and so can I. I remember how her smile illuminated a room much as the rainbow illuminates the stormy sky, and this memory forces me to smile. I am sometimes accused of “sugar-coating” things, but you can blame this on Misty. She’s the one who taught me to look on the bright side, and this is what I try to do. I’m not trying to say that I’m always the happiest, most positive person in the room because I’m definitely not. However, Misty makes me want to be. Her story has given me a purpose in life: to be the person that reminds those around me that better days are ahead. I’ve seen rainbows on perfectly sunny days, and it is during these times that I know that Misty has convinced God to send one just for me. There will always be storms, but isn’t it good to know that life is the rainbow?