On nights spent up late, when the house was quiet and the kids all asleep, the last thing I would do before turning in was to go to MYLIFEWITHCANCER.COM and see if there was a new blog entry.
The blogger was Sharon Lemming, a lady I have never met face to face, but have thought about often since we first talked. If you are a regular reader of this column, you may remember me writing some columns about her last year.
When I first "met" her via telephone, it was right after her son, Josiah, appeared on "American Idol." Surprisingly, he was not selected to advance from the early rounds though he seemed to be a favorite of the judges. After they aired the show where he was cut, I tried contacting him for an interview. Instead, I reached his mother, who told me he was taping "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" in California.
Even over the phone she seemed like one of those friendly, inviting, hospitable people who makes strangers into instant friends. For some reason, that short phone inquiry resulted in a conversation that lasted about an hour and a half. She shared all kinds of stories about her son that he probably would have preferred that she did not.
She also talked about her battle with cancer and directed me to her blog.
We exchanged a few e-mails after that. Mostly, I kept reading her blog to find out how she was doing.
I knew I'd found a special individual and ended up writing about her in four different columns. I was amazed at how Lemming and her husband, after having three children, went on to adopt six more children who needed homes. They all came to live with the family as foster children and became permanent residents.
Her outlook on life was amazing. Reading poetry posted on her blog, you can see where her sons got their songwriting talent.
On June 18, Sharon Lemming lost her nine-year battle with Leiomyosarcoma, a rare form of incurable cancer.
My heart breaks for the husband, children and extended family that she left behind. Losing a parent is devastating no matter what age the children are. In this case, they range from about 10 to 21.
So, as the world is mourning the loss of the celebrities who have died over the past couple weeks, I'm remembering someone who also touched the world and leaves an empty space for those who knew her. Even if they only knew her through a blog.
The opinions expressed are solely the writer's. Carrie Steinweg, the mother of five, lives in Lansing. Reach her at csteinw@yahoo.com.
