Sherry Bailey
Who could find ANYTHING bad to say about Aunt Ruth?! My memory is afloat with dozens of magical kindnesses and life experiences that originate with her, but the most important one was when Marissa and I got my sister, Teresa out of hospice and on a plane with Marissa to Las Vegas, where Ree quietly and happily passed 5 days later. I was allowed to help Missy and Ree get on the plane, and Ree didn't even see me go as she was already chattering in excitement with Missy--which is probably a good thing. I don't know what my face looked like. I know I felt like I'd been kicked in the gut and run over by an elephant. I'd just seen my baby sister for the last time. Bent over in half, hyperventilating on the gangway and concerning multiple passersby, I finally made it to the wheelchairs on the parking deck, sat and called Ruth in the worst flap of my life.
"Come over right now," she said. And I flew into her arms, was wrapped in layers and layers of loving comfort, and eventually felt as "better" as one could feel about that.
She was tired from a work day, and her feet hurt, so I massaged them for a long time while we talked. Then she took me to dinner at a cute chicken place across from the assisted living facility where she ended up a bit later.
I will never forget that she held me up when I could barely stand.
