In October 2014, Ginny sustained a spinal cord injury as the result of a rollover car accident. She fought courageously for 2 years, enduring surgeries and infections, anxiety, hope and disppointment, and being hooked up to tubes in order to breathe and get nutrition. And, of course, intense physical pain. After two years of suffering, the doctors finally told her that they had done all they could do. So Ginny choose to be taken off life support.
I want to say right up front that there is no describing Ginny. She was bigger than life. If you met her once, you never forgot her. What I can try to do is describe her personality and character. Her spirit, however, is indescribable. If you were in the same room with her, you felt it.
Ginny's intelligence was at the genius level. And she was very, very quick-witted. Add to that a wicked sense of fun, and she was a formidable practical joker. Most often than not though, she used her !intelligence to help others. She was kind-hearted to a fault, and if you in any way suggested that you had a problem, she would have the answer. Even if you didn't want it!
I often thought of Ginny as a child of other realms. She thought so differently than most of us. It often caused problems for her, but like all of us, her life was a combination of great successes and "teaching-moment" failures. Ginny thought that anything was possible, both for her and others. She was tenacious when trying to convince others of this, including the kids she taught.
She lived her life joyously, and it was contagious. It seemed as though being around her was uplifting to anyone who was feeling low. Ginny simply would not tolerate pessimism.
From early on in her life, Ginny was an ardent spiritual seeker. She knew there was more than this life, and she was determined to discover what it was.
But what amazed me most about Ginny was a quality that I've never seen in another human. I don't even know the exact word for it. When anyone hurt her, Ginny was never angry at that person. I never once heard her say anything about getting revenge, or even saying bad things about them. She had no desire to ever hurt another person. Ever. Under any circumstances. It was as if she forgave those who hurt her instinctively. Or even people who did horrible things to other people. She always had an excuse for them, which was often not a good thing. It was more than kindness or compassion or forgiveness. It was something that was built into the fabric of her being. Many, many times, I stood in awe of her and asked myself, "How does she do that?"
The last thing Ginny would want is for anyone to be sad. And I am grateful that she is out of pain. I know she is near, I can feel her. But honestly, losing her has been unimaginably gut-wrenching. I am soul-anguished that she suffered so much, and that this even happened to her. I miss her to the depths of my being, and I think I always will.
Ginny's free spirit is finally, truly free. Soar high, baby sister.
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Cousins
This picture taken in 1990 is from one of the last times that this many of our generation were together. I'm not sure why Ginny seems to be hiding in the back! Pictured, Kim Gillespie, Judy Eaton, Nancy DeWeese, Ginny, Mike Hobson and Cindy Keller. 5 other cousins were part of "our generation"--Shirley Lockhart, John West, Pris Catlin, Robin Johnson and Mike Rishell.