WESTERN SPRINGS & FOREST HILLS

Day 10 of 25 DAYS OF HUGGING:

As Christina often said, she moved her family to Western Springs in 2008, and it was the “best decision (she) ever made!”  Within days of moving in, she had met her neighbors Donna and John (yes, the same names as her children) who of course went to Queen of Peace and St. Laurence; shortly after, she met other kindred spirits originally from the Garfield Ridge and Clearing neighborhoods in Chicago; and of course she met her friend Antella who came from a very old-world family just like her— just Greek instead of Italian. 

With every person Christina met, there was a new bond, a new person to hug, a new friend to
share hugs, smiles, and joy.

Christina, Donna & Antella

Principal Dan Chick addressing the 2014 McClure graduation (John’s graduation)

St. John of the Cross became our new home to worship and celebrate, and to make new friends and share new hugs. Father Dave, Father Joe, Father Dario and Father Bill were homilists whose words of peace and spirituality resonated so profoundly and perfectly with Christina, and Father Bill was there to pray with Christina and her family in those final days. Of course, Father Bill delivered another incredible homily at Christina’s Celebration of Life Mass.

Christina loved the rural feel of walking to Forest Hills Grade School and McClure Middle School, often commenting how at least SHE understood and appreciated the jokes of her friend, McClure Principal Mr. Dan Chick; when they hugged at that basketball game in the fall of 2016, you weren’t sure he would be able to breathe again.  When Christina got very sick, the mothers of Forest Hills and McClure sent her a huge gift box of books, teas, inspirational cards, socks, and a blanket; that blanket sits today right where she kept it on the chair in our bedroom, “the blanket from my girlfriends” as she called it. Get a hug from one of those ladies and you will have a sense of what Christina’s hugs were like. 

And remember to give them all a hug, because we are all truly blessed by the wonderful people who surround us in this small community.

Please consider a donation to the charity at www.celebratingchristina.org/donate.

One day, one goal, one big hug at a time.

JOHN & DONNA

Day 17 of 25 DAYS OF HUGGING:

John and Donna are the embodiment
of Christina’s life.

A classic Mother’s Day picture from 2007

With their births, Christina was made complete.  She devoted herself to raising them, and as the prime observer of her work I must say she did a great job.  Donna has all her mother’s empathy and concern for others, and she is the counselor her mother taught her to be.  John is Christina’s level self, the person who looks at a situation and finds the positives in this world.  They are both great huggers and each have a different warm smile.

Christina taught them compassion and humility at an early age.  She taught them to laugh and to have a good cry when it was necessary.  When John hugged his mother that dark January day at Northwestern Memorial and told her he was relieved she wouldn’t have to suffer any more, you could feel Christina relax as she now knew that death had lost its power over her and her children.  Donna took off school to bring her Mother home for the last time and doted over her the entire time she was back home.  The two of them would squeeze each other in an embrace most of us will unfortunately never be able to experience.

Christina clearly lives among us still via
John and Donna. 

We see signs of her in so many things they do or things that happen to them, and they
are always quick to let her know they
got the message. 

If you doubt any of this, next time you see
one of them, ask them for a hug…. 

You will never doubt again.

Please consider a donation to the charity at www.celebratingchristina.org/donate.

One day, one goal, one big hug at a time.