Saturday, June 17, 2006

Long Ride Home


Sadly, my mom passed away today. 27 days after she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. A nurse friend said, “Pancreatic cancer, quick and painful”. Mom never complained once. During her last days she says, “I’ve had a good life, don’t worry about me”. Mom was 79 years old. She walked 3 miles a day. Born in a small plantation town on the island of Kauai, she pulled weeds in the fields for 50 cents a day. In elementary school, mom won an island spelling bee. Her prize was a loaf of bread. She met dad at Washington University. Mom said she was attracted to him because he was tall. Dad was 5’8”. After raising myself and my sister, she returned to school and earned her doctorate in education. “I didn’t want to be the low man on the family’s academic totem pole”. She pursued her hobby of quilting with such vigor, she would sometimes forget to eat. Mom sang Christmas carols with reckless abandon. Good bye mom.

Today I rode from Downey to SB. 150miles. It was a long ride home.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Matt,

I'm really sorry about your Mom. That's a tough one dude. Hang in there. Use your tri-strengths to cope with the stresses.

I was checking out the SB Tri-Club on the web, and I found my way to your Blog.

Hang in there,
Craig
(aka TRIBUM)