• dear jazz aka sunshine i will always rem when we met at the center and when i picked u up and we went out to get tea and we talked for hours and i came to your party and im sad right now but im happy because u are my guardian angel and u are my protector  u have kept me safe through my rough times and i love you and will always love u R.I.P sunshine love jason aka taz the nickname u gave me 

I don't even remember what year it was, but Jasmine and I had spoke on MySpace for a while.  a few years while we were teenagers, and on year we went to an HFStival at Ravens Stadium in Baltimore separately, and when we finally found eachother, Blink 182 was playing this song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7hhDINyBP0

I'll share many more, but this was how I knew she was special

I can think of so many stories about that special girl I dont know where to start
I can't believe I spelled my own name incorrectly.  

The first time I saw her she was a newborn and Vincent and Adrienne brought her to DC I looked at her and was just overcome with love and excitement to meet her. They left her with me and went to get something to eat (didn't leave any milk) she was pretty quiet at first slept and pondered the other times until she started to get hungry - I called Cynthia (Bunty) trying to figure out what to do we eventually decided to give her a little slightly sugared water warm she just drank some calmed herself and was pretty happy until her parents came back.  

The last time I saw her was the Friday before she transitioned
We talked a lot waiting for her Dad to get there; at first mostly about Chad and how much he meant to her.
She told me she considered herself Jamaican I advised her she was second generation American on 1/2 of one side and 100% American on all the other sides she said no problem "I am Jamaican" I just said "OK me too but for me really Jamaican"  we both laughed.

We took a few trips to Jamaica when she was a tot and she loved it - on her first trip at breakfast she demanded grits and Mummy had no idea what grits were so she wound up having fruit, Jamaican chocolate "tea" eggs and toast. We went to Devon House, Heywood Street Market, and to the beach in St Thomas she really enjoyed the trip and she driving Jeb the dog crazy. Jasmine was my neice but technically she was not biologically related to my mother and that side of my family in Jamaica, Jasmine came to me through my father - her grandfather.
Mummy especially just loved the way Jasmine spoke up for what she wanted and how well she negiotated the change in her breakfast menu in such a polite way, they were so happy to have her visit them more than once when she was a toddler - I want to thank Vincent and Adrienne for trusting me with their baby, the experiences I had travelling with her gave me a special bond with her. We always flew first class because at the time I worked for Pan Am and she had the crew so impressed at how polite and unafraid she seemed, grownups were clutching the seat handles in fear taking off and landing she just really took it all in and enjoyed the experience asking all kinds of really good questions about flying. When we had layovers in Miami we always stayed at a really nice hotel and went to nice restuarants for dinner, If we had any leftovers she insisted on taking it up to the room and she LOVED room service.

Jackie's wedding in Florida, it was a girls' weekend Cynthia, Stacey, Kiannaya (sic) Jasmine, Vickie and myself. Vickie was a little testy because she missed her mom and cried some the first night.
Jasmine took control of things - it was very chilly even for Florida, she had brought a bikini with her and she put it on and was the only person out by the pool laid out on a pool deck chair constantly changing poses as we tried to coax her back in the room she must have thought she was a SI swimsuit model we were shivering keeping an eye on her but she was cool as a cucumber doing her thing. She told me on Friday she vaguely remembered the blue and white polka dot bikini.

She was and still is a source of inspiration to me and all who knew her as she fought her illness most of her life. She was so informed about what her medical situation and all that came with it. Yet she managed to live the most full life she could. She helped me confirm my own personal philosophy that as long as you are doing the best you can no one can ask more of you.

She is probably eating Boo Berries and that awful sour patch candy she loved so much. It induces all my sour reflexes just thinkung about it my mouth is watering and not in a good way.

My emotions a weird mix of pain and relief 
Pain that she is not here anymore and missing her. Can't text her and wait forever for a response.  
Relief that she is pain free worry free - really free

I ask God to embrace her totally and grant her peace - let her fly and land somewhere warm and comforting with love and light all around her

Bye Min Min 
 

I met Jasmine about 10 years ago at Dr. Anands Office.  Jasmine was like a litte sister to me.  I also have sickle cell anemia and I remember when Jasmine and I met and she found out that I was a teacher and had my own business.  I have a tutoring and child advcating business and during the summers I run a day camp for children with and without disabilities.  Jasmine lived in Bowie at the time and lived in the neighborhood acros from me.  She asked if she could help me and what did she need to do in order to work for me.  I told her that I needed her to fill out an application and fingerprints.  After we would get our treatments on certain days we would go get something to eat to rest a little bit and then we were off to the Bowie Library to meet the kids and tutor.  I remember the first child she worked with she was so nervous and I told her that I believed in her abilities and that she would be great just be yourself and that just her personality alone would make her a good tutor.  With her personality Jasmine was a great recruiter.  She signed up many children for small group and one on one tutoring and signed up kids for summer camp.  The first year she worked with me she got sick and missed camp but worked behind the scenes by helping me with paper work.  Jasmine was my little personal black book when if came to keeping my business information.  She had a talent keeping my paper work organized which wasn't and still isn't one of my strong suites.  At camp we had different days.  Moday was Manic Math Mondays, Tantilizing Tuesdays, Wacky Word Wednesdays, Thrilling Thursdays and Freaky Fridays and one week was Where in TheWorld week and she talked on and on about Jamaica and she told the kids all about Jamaica and made a flag and was surpised that I had Bob Marley on my playlist.
Having this disease I have lost many friends to this illness.  Jazz as I called her was really saddened when we lost one friend in particular Mr. Fomenky.  We both cried but I told her that their are some positive things to this disease.  She dared me to tell her atleast fove positive things about having sickle cell so this is what I told her..
1. Only the strong people have sickle cell. God know in his infinite wisdom who is strong enough to handle this disease.  After all you have to be strong to deal with pain daily.
2. We are smarter than our peers. We had to have been.  I told her just think about ALL the school we have and do miss but graduate AND pass our classes while playing catch up and keep up.
3.  We would have never had the opportunities that we have had without having sickle cell.  For example the sickle cell walk where we get to just be ourselves.
4. We would have NEVER met some of the best friends in the world that also have sickle cell.  We have friends that we can call at ALL hours of the day and night who TRULY understand our struggle. We have friends that we laugh with in the doctors office, sneak into the hospital after hours because WE ALWAYS know how to get into ANY hospital.  I remember telling her we know how to get in we might not be able to get out when we want to but WE KNOW how to get into the hospital.  We both laughed and said together yep just go through the E.R to sneak in after hours to visit.
5. And I told her that SS stands for Sexxy Sexxy, SC stands for Sexxy Chocolate and we laughed.

So Jazzy You will be forever in my heart but I know that when Jesus comes again I will see you so just rest without pain for the first time.
Love ya.

Your Big Siter Nikki Peterson

Back around 2007, we discovered the clinic of Dr. Anand in Greenbelt, MD.  Jasmine was living with us in Bowie and struggling to find a balance to life, sickle cell, health, school and independence.

Dr. Anand's clinic provided her with instant daily pain management so that she could keep crisis at bay.  At the clinic she made friends with Nikki Peterson and John Fomenky.  John was special!  He was one of the oldest sickle cell warriors she had ever met!  He shared freely of himself, checked on Jasmine and encouraged her all the time.  He truly understood her and always made time for their shared interests of tech, cuture, their condition and their friends.

John's passing was such a blow.  He is missed by many of us and his family.  Jasmine lost a friend, brother and mentor when John passed away on April 26th 2010.  In my imagination as I come to grips with Jasmine's departure, I imagine him now teaching her how to live a pain-free life in eternity.  Its a comforting thought.

Thanks John - really appreciate all that you did for her. 

My dear Jasmine,

You remember how much we would talk mathematics, nature  and the sciences?  I remember being a new Dad with you and pretty fresh from leaving Howard Univ... I was looking for things to talk to you about besides "baby talk", I would waffle on about avogadro's law and Avocados,..l'hopital's rule  and the Hospital rules for visitation and breaking them...we would chuckle at the word play.

We talked about the golden ratio in things and would shape your rice on the plate  for fun as such even when you did not have an appetite. 


You are so darn smart! 

I love the moments when you would say, "Dad, did you know?.." commenting on some natural or supernatural phenomena  (birds, nature, science, vampires, witches). you would give me that look,.. "Dad,  why are you asking those questions, that is not where I'm going with this? ughhhhh...keep up!!"   


I would just smile at you warmly...thinking...  sweetheart  you don't realize,  you have long surpassed me. 


....to be continued...      

 

Jasmine my darling,

I didnt get a chance to take you to see the movie Hidden Figures.  We discussed the math involved in anticipation  of seeing the movie, i am so sorry we didnt get to enjoy it together my love.

 

Strong and fearless as Jasmine could be, she was afraid of butterflies and strawberries!  She said should could not trust fruit with seeds on the outside.  I laughed so hard about this until she discovered that I HATE birds.  One day, we were on a family shopping trip in Bowie, MD.  There was a particularly "bold" white dove that was flitting and flying all of the place.   Jasmine NEVER stopped making fun of me or imitating me as I ran back and forth accross the road screaming that the "beast of Bowie" was after me!  She was a "wicked" mimic and found the most fun in the silliest of things.

I will miss that about her! 

I am honored to have met Jasmine as a teenager.  Although I did not see her often, Viola would often keep me and Ruben abreast of how she was doing.  During the years that I knew Jasmine, I knew a teenager who became a young woman and a fighter.  A true inspiration of hope.  Your fight and journey has ended.  May you rest in peace with the Lord!

 

Jasmine came into my life when she was 12 years old and I became engaged to marry her Dad.  She sat wide eyed and curious in her hospital bed trying to process what was NOT being said.  I think she was trying to assess what was going on and if we could be friends.  And we did!!  Over the years, I spent many hours by her bedside bullying, cajoling, laughing and chatting about everything from Benedict Cumberbatch, to our love of the band "30 Seconds to Mars", British shows, music, art, my Cameroonian heritage and her Jamaican heritage.  It was an honour to be loved and trusted by Jasmine.  

Things were not always easy between us.  I often annoyed her!  She was living with us when she went through the challenges of teenage years.  I forced her to use public transport to get to her appointments - she railed like a banshee against me until she got used to it - victory to her!!  And after all that, her amazing capacity to forgive, to understand and to be understood was like a shining light.  Incredible young woman.  I loved her fiercly.  

I enjoyed our trips to the cinema, grocery shopping, movies and just hanging out sharing truths and perspectives on just about every little thing!  There were no topics off limits for us!

From little flower girl at our wedding to poised confident young woman.  She alternatively tip-toed, traipsed, pranced, stomped and walked into my life and into my heart where she will reside forever.  "Jasmina - what are we like?  what are we like??"  Love Love - fly!  you are free.  Stay busy in creation!