Saturday, March 22, 2008

In Honor of Abigail Taylor, Age 6

I need to interrupt my regular Mazatlán posts to honor this little girl, who just died on Thursday evening, March 20. As some of you know, I live in the Twin Cities, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. but I have been spending the winter here. "Abigail was injured when she sat on a pool drain, and its powerful suction ripped out part of her intestinal tract on June 29. She underwent transplant surgery in December at the Nebraska hospital to receive a new small bowel, liver and pancreas." (Home: Omaha News) No, I don't know the child or the family, but I was filled with horror when it occurred last June and have followed the ongoing story. As a mother and now a grandmother of a little girl the same age, I have been deeply affected by this tragic incident and the terrible impact it has had on this family. I am filled with sorrow and grieve for the child, her parents, and siblings. For more information, click here.

ADDED LATER: I received this message via email on Wednesday, March 26th:

I live in Abigail's neighborhood in Edina, Minnesota, and our beautiful city's streets are lined with thousands of luminaries in honor of Abbey tonight. Her visitation was at a local funeral home, and afterward, her family felt the support of this community as they made their way through Edina's neighborhoods amidst the thousands of lights shining for Abbey. It is beautiful and touching. Abbey's life and death have affected so many ... and her light shines bright tonight. She won't be forgotten! Thank you for caring ...

14 comments:

George Townboy said...

That is so sad, Kate. I feel the same as you when I hear of tragedies involving children!

Steve Cuddihy said...

I heard this news while driving home, very tragic. I still was shocked that cancer developed after the transplant took place and she had to go through chemotherapy on top of everything that had happened. As a father of a daughter age 7, I relate to this quite a bit.

alice said...

This story is horrible. In France too, several children died in swimming-pools, drowned because they could not get out of these drains...

Anonymous said...

I remember this story when it happened. I think, perhaps I am mistaken, that because of it there is some change made in pools so that it cannot happen again. But I read what Alice wrote so many there has been no change.

Sad.

Jilly said...

What an utterly appalling story. As if there aren't enough dreadful things in this world without a child losing her life so unnecessarily. How terribly sad. I quite understand how you feel, Kate. So do I. Just such a waste of a beautiful child.

Marie said...

What a tragedy. What a terrible death she had. Poor little girl. It is great from you to pay homage to her.

Happy Easter to you, Kate.

marley said...

What an awful thing to happen. Nice of you to honour her.

Chris said...

I heard about that today. It's just horrible.

Raquel Sabino Pereira said...

May she rest in peace. I am so sorry and so sad about it.

sam said...

oh how awful, my heart goes out to her family, and to you too, dear soft hearted Kate who shares their pain!

Z said...

So much suffering and such an unnecessary death! My heart goes out to her family, friends and well-wishers.

riniroo said...

My sister knows this family personally and has been trying to write them a card for 2 days. She just doesn't know what to say. I know that after the initial sorrow is over they will be so happy to have the memories of those 6 years. No one can take those away.

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Anonymous said...

My daughter was her classmate and friend. My wife and daughter went to the visitation and my wife mentioned the luminaries and how they made her tear up. Every night before our kids' bedtime we prayed together for Abby's recovery. Now every night my daughter opens prayer telling Jesus how much she misses Abby. As a stay-home father who works nights, it scares me that something as mundane as taking the kids to the wading pool (which I did at least twice a week last summer) can take such a tragic turn.

CrazyCow said...

I saw a report on my online news about this a few days ago. It was so sad. She must have suffered such pain.

It hurts so much to hear stories like this one.