On Sunday morning I got a call from my sister that our friend, Emily Lighty, had gone home to be with the Lord. My heart was heavy from the loss of a dear friend and fellow sports mom.
I had the pleasure of meeting Emily two years ago. She and my sister are dear friends. I am always excited to meet a sports mom but I didn't realize what a treat I was in for when I met Emily. We met at Legacy Village at Brio Restaurant in Cleveland. We were both Ohio State sports moms and shared a love for the Lord and our Buckeyes. Emily was bubbling over with excitement about getting approval to have the team come to her church to enjoy a meal while they were in Cleveland for a big game. She and her mom, Nellie cooked an incredible meal and wanted to make sure that the team could have some private time with family just to exhale and bond. Her eyes lit up with love and excitement as she talked about watching David progress as a player and the joy she had in cheering the team on. She continued to stay close to the Buckeyes even after David graduated.
I was so elated after meeting Emily and looked forward to the day when we could come together as sports moms to collaborate on events to help sports moms help their children. She had been on my mind for months so I was delighted to see her name displayed on my ringing cell phone two weeks ago. When I answered, it wasn't Emily, but her mom, Nellie, to let me know she was not doing well and that her cancer had spread. I cannot tell you just how sad I felt at that moment. Two weeks later, I got the call from my sister, letting me know that Emily was with the Lord.
My heart goes out to David, Nellie and the rest of the family and friends who loved Emily. She may be gone but the memories she leaves behind will warm the lives she touched for years to come. I am committed to continuing the journey of sports moms supporting other sports moms and their children in her honor.
Rest in peace Emily!
DJ
No comments:
Post a Comment