"The Journey Ends.
There can be no triumph without loss...
No victory without suffering...
No freedom without sacrifice."
~ from the "Return of the King"
movie trailer
"I
wish none of this had happened."
"So
do all who live to see such times, but it is not for us to decide. All that
is for you to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you."
~ JRR Tolkien, Lord of the
Rings
January
23, 2003: The Battle Begins Again.
July
21, 2003: Hunter's battle ends in the Ultimate Cure
The sun smiled down and warmed the
chilly March day Hunter Atkinson entered the world. His bright and happy personality
brightened every room and many lives, and his personal light has never dimmed.
Even though his physical presence has been taken from us, his incredible lessons
will live on in the many people he has touched over the years.
Please
take a moment to get to know Hunter if you are not familiar with him. His
entire story is posted here, where until
this week the world has been kept updated on his condition.
I have
invited all who knew or were touched by Hunter to share their "Hunterisms"
- those awesome anecdotes about the things that made Hunter so special, the
odd coincidences that brought us all together, poetry, photos, etc.
Please view and add to these Hunterisms!
Hunter
had the mind of a born researcher, and unshakable faith. He believed with
all his heart that with enough time and the right team, a cure for him would
be found, and he did everything he could to aid the effort. Hunter found it
frustrating that few put value in the musings of a 13-year-old boy, but he
recorded his ideas in what he called his "Cure Book".
These
pages are Hunter's original ideas, the result of imagination and his own
research. |
Sign
Hunter's Guest Book!!!
Celebrating
Life!
On the evening of July
25, 2003, Hunter's extended family gathered together for a pyrotechnics display
that would have had this young man beside himself with joy!
Betsy twirls a sparkler for her
boy
July
20, 2004: Time marches on...
How difficult it
seems to believe that a whole year has gone by. The void he leaves behind
continues to be felt by all, and still his mother and sister feel that they
will never heal. Yet we - his friends and family by choice - joined Betsy
and Mariah to celebrate his life this past weekend at a dog show - the WASCUNY
July Sparkler - that has historically been "Hunter's show"...one
he always managed to make it to, even if it meant a final chemo treatment
on the way to the show with the dogs packed and waiting in the car, stopping
along the way to flush lines and admisinster treatments. In the days leading
up to his death, we found a tiny bit of solace in the joke that Hunter was
hanging on just a few more days, as it would be a terrible irony for his death
to interfere with the enjoyment of his favorite dog show by his dearest friends.
Please
take a moment to enjoy these moments of celebration.
Each image is a clickable thumbnail which will open in a new window.
July,
2006: Not-so-distant memories
Another
year passes. The annual celebrations have ceased, but time has yet to take
away the bitter sting of Hunter's passing. His birthday and the anniversary
of his death remain brutal reminders of different days. Mariah, now the first
Atkinson child to reach the age of 14, reaches new landmarks every day with
a promising future in the Arts. Betsy marches bravely forward, taking every
available opportunity to celebrate her boy. Posts to the guestbook are sporadic
but touching - please keep them coming!
July 21, 2008: Hunter's Godmother, Linda, sums it up best in three simple lines:
Time passes
Memories deepen
Love remains
It's been five years that feel like both the blink of an eye and an eternity. We miss you dearly, Rocketman.
Hunterisms | Hunter's
Story
Sign
Hunter's Guest Book!!!
Email
the webmistress.
