Amber’s life began on June 28, 1975. As soon as she could walk and talk, her enthusiasm for, sweetness to and curiosity about other people were immediately apparent. She never knew what a stranger was, if you turned your back on her for a moment you were sure to turn back and find her striking up a conversation with whoever happened to be passing by. I can picture her as that little girl and I can picture her by her mothers side always wanting to help, the true personification of Mothers little helper, always wanting to be of service.
These two qualities that defined her as a child, the interest in others and the genuine desire to help them and make their lives easier, continued to define her, no matter what hardships she endured, throughout her life.
There was another side to her greatest strengths, as is so often the case with all of us, they were also her greatest obstacles. Amber’s selflessness and self-sacrifice caused her to perhaps give too much while not asking for enough in return. The great stores of energy she drew on to work an increasingly demanding and exhausting job, while raising her kids, and caring for her family were eventually drained. Her body was more frail than she realized and her will alone was not enough to sustain her. In addition her innocence and her complete lack of guile which allowed her to see and expect the best in others left her vulnerable to hurts, a heart like hers could not make sense of, and she at times blamed herself for the failings of others. But no matter what the cost she would not abandon that innate loving kindness and sweetness.
It is no wonder that, as her health began to fail and she could no longer keep up with the demands of her Title Insurance job, she went back to school to work in healthcare. After graduating first in her class she decided to pursue working with cancer patients and in that she found what she considered to be her true calling. She choose healthcare because she cared deeply and passionately about all those who crossed her path and because she had suffered she had vast stores of empathy and compassion for others who were suffering. She became a true friend to her patients and their families and she liked to think that she, in some small way, shared their burden and by doing so made it lighter. When her health continued to deteriorate to the point where she could no longer do that job she mourned it for the rest of her life.
Even this loss did not take away her sweet spirit and she continued to pour her love and care into her children, her family and her pets. She became quite active on social media and was a tireless cheerleader for others, always striving to make them feel loved and celebrated. She was, in the last months of her life, contemplating writing a book in order to share her triumphs and tragedies, letting people know they were not alone and still trying to help as many people as she could.
Amber’s life had its hardships and was far too short, but all those that knew her felt blessed by that knowledge. Her sweetness , her kindness, her innocence, her lack of guile and her generous heart were so special they could not be ignored. She is gone from this world but her influence remains with us and if we can, through her example, open our hearts to love freely and to treat each other with compassion and forgiveness, she will have achieved her true aim in life, she will have helped forever all those she loved.
Amber’s life ended at home surrounded by people and animals she loved, her parents, her son and her beagles. She will be so sorely missed.
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