My favorite Whitney story!
Many of you know that Jon and I played football together from 5th grade thru our Senior year highlighted by winning the State Championship as Seniors. When you go through the pain, sacrifice, sweat, tears and time you develop a ‘Band of Brothers’ with everyone on the team, especially those in your graduating class. Mary Ann and I met briefly in HS, our friendship really began in college at EKU. I played somewhat of a role in fixing up Mary & Jon, a story that is true, but as all stories, grows with time, LOL. To this day we remain great friends. I do not consider myself a part of their inner circle, however our friendship is rare in that we can go months without seeing or communicating with each other but when we do reconnect it’s like no time has passed, we laugh, share stories and enjoy each other’s company without expectations.
On to my favorite Whitney story. About 2-years ago, Whit had been released from Children’s Hospital having completed Chemo. She was home at her house in Ft. Thomas. Her spirits were high. I telephoned Jon to talk a bit about business at Agilent, where he still works and the company I left in 2014 to create the Ft. Thomas Antiques & Design Center and Highlander Event Center. We of course talked about Whit and how she was doing. I had been experimenting with Thai recipes and asked Jon if she like Pad Thai. Jon said it was one of her favs, so we made plans to meet the following week at Whit’s house, share some vino and I would show Whit how I prepare Pad Thai with shrimp so she could prepare it anytime she craved it. Dinner was great, the vino flow (maybe too much so for everyone but Whit). During dinner and after Whit had so many questions about our days in college and how things came to be with her Mom and Dad. We didn’t talk about HS glory days this was about how Jon & Mary Ann began dating in college. Whit was enthralled, wanted to hear all the details, the timeline and how it all came to be. She had heard some of the story in broad strokes but wanted more granularity, all of the details!
It was good to see her eat well, laugh and relish in the story of her parent’s college courtship. Whit was born in August 1988, my oldest son Jordan in November 1988. Just another common link between myself, Mary and Jon. Whit will be missed however her strength, smile and courage will continue to inspire all of us who had the privilege of knowing her.
With loving regard,
Rob #55