Saturday, February 27, 2016

#LiveLikeMichelle

This is a blog about a woman who refused to let a diagnosis define her life. Who refused to let the fight against cancer take away her desire to live. It’s about a woman who decided to be an example as a mother, a wife, a daughter, a sister, and a friend. 

On February 28, 2015, Michelle was taken from us, far too soon. Unfortunately through a glitch in the internet, her original blog, michellewillwin.blogspot.com was taken down shortly after. While many were saddened by this, understandably, there was one copy of her total blog that remained. Towards the end of her time I worked with Michelle and discussed with her the possibility of taking her blog and turning it into a book. A book that would be a compilation of her story, from diagnosis to her death, as a way to share her life and how she chose to live it with the world. While that project is still in the works, I decided that instead of keeping her blog only to myself, as a way of helping others reconcile grief and try to reconnect with Michelle through her own words, to try to relive some of the most joyful moments and those that were just so perfectly Michelle, I would republish Michelle's blog, from beginning to end, here for everyone to see. What follows is Michelle's blog, every entry, complete with pictures and original comments as designed by her hand.

I hope as you read through these posts, complete with all the comments that were originally posted alongside them, that you, like me, are able to smile and remember Michelle exactly as she was. A bright spot in this world. Someone who loved and was loved by many. 

Thank you.