Everything, Nothing, and I'm a Middle Child

May God bring you, your family and friends the peace and comfort to endure this loss. I only "knew" your mother through the NPR blog but could clearly see what a wonderful person she was. In spite of her condition, she handled it with grace and with a strong spirit. I kept her in my prayers each day for God's healing power to prevail. God has other plans for her and she rests with Him now. Always know that she was special to us who knew her from afar, Leroy's blog. Prayers and blessings for you and family.

To Al Cato and all of Leroys' bloggers...I wish to express my deepest thanks for the service your blogging provided to Stephanie as she and I took this journey with pancreatic cancer together. It was a venue for her to express some things I couldn't perhaps have dealt in supporting her. I know she had a special relationship to those of you who went to this blogsite. And a special, loving and warm thanks to Leroy for making it available to all like Stephanie.

Stephanie did not know me...but she gave me the gift of inspiration. She became a role model for me on how to live with cancer. She obviously lived and died with grace and humor, surrounded by those who loved her. Those too, are my goals.

May your loving memories of her bring you all strength during this difficult time. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Dearest Mara, Mark and family, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your dear mother. May Baha'u'llah graciously welcome her and lift her up as she wings her flight through the worlds of God. With love, Peter

Isis, Vicky and I just wanted to say that we love you all so much. See you soon.

mara, i wish you peace and healing. my prayers and so much love.

leila

I am so sorry for your family's loss. Love and prayers to you all.

I never met Stephanie, but i feel like i knew her - - although only from Leroy's blog. I was so glad to see her - - and you, Mara -- on Leroy's TV special so i could put a face with a name. I lurked on Stephanie's blog for many months, and I have been quietly reading your and Nathan's blogs these last few weeks, not wanting to intrude on this intimate time. But I want you to know how much Stephanie, her words, and her life touched me. I am sitting here now, crying soft gentle tears for your mother and all of you. I am honestly amazed at how her life, and her passing, has affected me (and countless others, too, I am sure). You could see her courage, her grace, her beauty, her strength in every word she wrote. And she clearly has raised four incredible children and shared a wonderful life and love with your Dad. She is someone i will never forget.

My love, thoughts and prayers to you and your family.
Suzanne in Houston

I never met Stephanie, but i feel like i knew her - - although only from Leroy's blog. I was so glad to see her - - and you, Mara -- on Leroy's TV special so i could put a face with a name. I lurked on Stephanie's blog for many months, and I have been quietly reading your and Nathan's blogs these last few weeks, not wanting to intrude on this intimate time. But I want you to know how much Stephanie, her words, and her life touched me. I am sitting here now, crying soft gentle tears for your mother and all of you. I am honestly amazed at how her life, and her passing, has affected me (and countless others, too, I am sure). You could see her courage, her grace, her beauty, her strength in every word she wrote. And she clearly has raised four incredible children and shared a wonderful life and love with your Dad. She is someone i will never forget.

My love, thoughts and prayers to you and your family.
Suzanne in Houston

As others have said from Leroy's blog, I did not know your mother personally, I saw her on the TV program. Your mother demonstrated grace and a calm about her. I have endured the loss of my mother, and can appreciate your loss. My deepest sympathy to your family at this time. The pain and suffering is over, remember the grand times and joys that she brought and represented. Take care of yourselves..

The suffering is over. May she rest in Peace.

Mara. I so wish there was a magic wand that I could wave to take away all your pain. I would give anything. But, knowing that you (and Nate and Rae and Mendon and your dad) have devoted yourselves so completely to your mother, I know that there is a void that will never be completely filled. What I can do is hope that the peace that you all brought to your mom in her time of need finds its way into your hearts, and provides to you the comfort that you've so selflessly provided. I have a flight tomorrow a.m., and will be out of the country for the rest of the week. Unfortunately, I will not be able to physically be there for you. Know that you all are, and will continue to be, at the forefront of my thoughts, and deep within my heart. May your mom rest peacefully. We love you.

......God bless you, you are like strands of shimmering grace. Thanks Stephanie for living your life as you did, for being true to yourself, for your devotion to what you believe. may we all live with your strength and may we all die with your courage. Thanks for raising four wonderful children. you have been my true Baha'i sister

our condolences... i am so glad i had an honour to meet her in the Holy Land and talk to her for few brief moments... she is an inspiration for me
love and prayers,
us

mara, my love and prayers are with you and your family.

yas

Stephanie,

Rest in Peace. We'll never forget you!

Mara,
Thanks for keeping us posted on your mother's condition and passing. We will miss her on Leroy's blog and in spirit.

Dearest Mara, All my love to you and your family. When I think of your dear mother, I will always remember the sweater she knit for Liam, with love, even before his conception. What a blessing for him to come into this world while she was still in it. The bond between you all remains closer than the stitches in that sweater. I fell assured of this. All my love again.

My love and condolences from Alexandria, Virginia. Those photos were lovely - thank you for posting them.

To the Dornbrook family- I just learned of Stephanies' death while reading the "My Cancer" blog this afternoon. Words aren't sufficient at a time like this. I know that in years to come, your memories of her illness and death will fade, and those of her life will prevail. That you all came together to care for her in her last days, and to witness her transition from her body will be a blessing to you in the time to come. You will know that you did all possible to live the love that you have for her in a tangible way. God bless you all. Nancy K. Clark

Dearest Mara,

I love you and your family so much. You know that my childhood was defined by your household, and so much of that was your mother. I was blessed that Stephanie was one of the incredible women that raised me, and her influence and her strength will never leave me. All of you are in our thoughts and prayers, now and forever. I wish you strength and courage in the coming days and months. If you need anything now or in the future, I will always be here for you.

All my love,
Pammy

Dustan and family. What is there left to say? Stephanie was a fighter. We were fighting together. Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer is hard not only on the person but the family. I wish I did not waste time and come and visit you both. My mom has told me how wonderful you both are and I missed that chance.

I love my socks she made me.

So today I wish you and your family peace and the thoughts of knowing her pain is over.

Cathy Krekus Kern

Dearest Mara,
You, your mother's radiant soul and your family are in our prayers. In your grief be assured of the prayers that are washing over you from all over the world.
deepest love from Amelia and Shingo

Mara,

I'm so sorry for the loss of your beautiful Maman. It seems such a paltry thing to say when the hurt is so big, but I truly am. Many prayers for your Maman and your family.

Sorry for your loss. I know how trying today has been and how tough the days ahead will be. My thoughts are with you.

Dearest Mara,
My condolences and love to you and your family during this incredibly difficult time. May you find peace and healing... I will pray for the progress of your beloved mother's soul in all the worlds of God.

With all the love there is,
faranak

Mara and family - I am also one of Leroy's army of bloggers and was greatly saddened to hear of your mother's passing. We never corresponded directly, but I always looked forward to her posts on Leroy's blog and hoped the best for her. As my own battle with cancer now starts to head beyond effective treatment, I hope that I can exit with as much grace and class as your mother did. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

It's taken me a couple of days to figure out what I might say here, if anything.

I am so sorry to hear of your mother's passing. She was a tremendous source of hope, help and inspiration in all our lives on Leroy's blog.

I think I can say this for all the thousands of us dealing with the death issue: We loved and appreciated Stephanie for being Stephanie, and being there for the rest of us.

She will be missed by all of us. We understand there will never be another exactly like her, and for that we are all diminshed. I absolutely love her "Goodbye....Forgive everything" message. That's really all that needs to be said, isn't it? How profound, how touching...how Stephanie.

Love and prayers to you and your family.

I'm so glad I took this picture of you. We had no idea at the time what the abnormalities in your blood were leading to... ignorance was bliss. It was a worry free time in Caesarea when this photo was snapped, and we walked you ragged throughout Haifa-- usually up the mountain. I'm so glad we were able to share the piercing glories through the clouds on that perfect day in Beit Shean, and again trudging up to the top of the tell overlooking the Jordan River Valley. One could almost understand why wars are still fought to this very day for that small stretch of land. I'm really not at all sad for you, I just miss you... and I wonder if you had gotten enough good chocolate and tea during your all too brief life on this world. You said you were ready, so I assume you had.

We know that no words are adequate. You are all in our thoughts in the Sacred Shrines. We will pray for her, as she prays for us.

Mara, my heart and prayers go out to your family.

-Lindsay Lamar-

Dearest Mara and Mark - thinking of you and the whole family with much love in my heart. Thanks for sharing updates and reaching out to friends. I was looking on Nancy Wong's flickr for the very beautiful photo that came to mind when I heard the news - the portrait of Mara and Stephanie - but I couldn't find it.

I was lucky enough to meet your Mum a couple of times (though too briefly) when she came to visit in Haifa, and one thing that stands out about her and your dad is how your family really is a unit. I felt you have so much love for each other, so much respect and appreciation, and I am quite sure that your Mum had a whole lot to do with setting that kind of tone.

A family that cultivates love and shares it with others is like gold. I think that she has a lot to be happy about in the next realm.

with deepest love & sympathy to you and your family. You are in our prayers.

My condolences to you and your family.
I am with you in prayers.
Sjona