It is with sadness and a heavy heart that I post this… In the early morning hours of Sunday, November 1st, Erika Meyer, a close friend since high school, passed away from complications due to cancer.
In late-June, Erika was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of uterine cancer, called MMMT, which affects some ridiculously low percentage of females…nearly all of whom are over the age of 65. Yet, despite being diagnosed with this rare and poorly understood form of cancer, Erika kept a fantastic attitude. And although there were very difficult times, and the reality of her diagnosis was daunting, she never stopped fighting and looking forward. Erika lived her life to the fullest, laughing, joking and finding humor in situations that someone not facing cancer would probably never even see. Testament to this can be seen in her Cancer Sucks blog, which she started keeping after receiving her diagnosis, and to all those who knew her.
We received the unexpected news of Erika’s passing on Sunday morning, and truthfully, the reality that Erika is gone has not yet set in. Perhaps it’s the fact, that we last saw her just a couple weeks ago, that she was still teaching her first grade class last Thursday, or that she still had a lot of life and fight left in her. In reality, it is probably a combination of all that. Regardless, Erika left us far too soon, and she will be missed by all those whose lives she touched.
My deepest sympathies and condolences go out to Erika’s husband, Andrew, her brother, Evan, and mother, Laura. With that, I think Andrew, who posted news of Erika’s passing to the world on her Cancer Sucks blog, says it best…
God Gets An Angel (via Wayback Machine)
UPDATE: November 3, 2009 7:31 PM
On Tuesday, the Daily Herald had a very nice article about Erika: Lake Zurich Teacher Succumbs to Cancer (via Daily Herald)