On Monday afternoon, my mother in law, Helen Hanna set out on her dining room table, all important information and papers that would be required in the event of her death. She then stripped her bed, got her purse, locked the front door and drove herself to DePaul Hospital. While crossing from the parking lot to DePaul’s entrance she fell and hit her head on the curb. She was taken to the emergency room, Chris was called and he arrived in plenty of time to say goodbye. Her last words were, “oh, this is so bad!”, the nurse said, “what’s so bad,honey?”. Helen replied, “I’m so happy”. Those were her final words and for this we are grateful.
She was transferred to Sentara’s Trauma unit where it was determined that she had been having a stroke. The fall resulted in the brain hemorrhage that would take her life, which ended peacefully at about 1:15pm on Wed., April 2. I was fortunate to be with her at her end, in fact I was taking her pulse when her heart beat its last.
God is so very merciful. If we live as we die, my mother in law is a shining example of this! She was the Energizer Bunny! At 86, she kept going and going until she no longer did. She was happy up until the last moments of coherent thought and I cannot imagine a more fitting end to an extraordinary life of love and service to her family, friends and the children she taught professionally for twenty years. Helen was a beloved kindred spirit who experienced great joy from seeing people happy, especially her sons, Kevin and Chris, and her grandchildren, Liam, Nora and Jesse.
Helen had an exquisitely sharp mind. A life long writer, she often recorded for others her perceptions and impressions of their situations; to receive a birthday letter from Helen was an envelope thick with eloquent remembrances, and andecdotes, thoroughly infused with love and sincere caring. Helen Phillips Hanna was a woman of great faith and of great wisdom. She was tenacious, frugal, hard working and uncomplaining in the discomfort and pain she experienced later in life as her body began to deteriorate while her mind continued to sharpen!
For those of you who had the honor and joy of knowing Helen, I offer you my sincere condolences on the loss of your beloved friend. Chris and Jesse and I are most grateful to have spent her last months with her here in Norfolk. She was looking forward to returning to summer in Connecticut, spending time with Kevin and Mary, Liam and Nora. Her plan was to take it easy and write. Since George’s death 28 months ago, she afforded herself the luxury of a little more time writing in her spiral bound notebooks, with a blue Bic pen, medium point.
Her memoirs complete, she was ready to take on her first novel.
Namaste` Helen,
May You Rest in Peace
3 comments:
My condolences for your loss. God be with you and your family.
What a wonderful tribute to this beautiful lady...she was blessed with so much and you were able to add to her experience of life in a meaningful way...she knows how deep your love for her goes.
Mrs. Hanna was my fifth grade teacher. She made a huge impact on my life. I remember her fondly and how kind and loving she was to us all. My mother was very ill and she always asked how my mom was and checked in on me. Your story is beautiful.
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