In the first video we shot of the Starks family, they recalled Dominique, who died of sickle cell disease five years ago today at only 17 years old.
Valicia talked about holding her daughter until her grip grew weak and she slipped away. Valicia remembers the exact minute -- 3:31 a.m.
"I miss my Dominique a lot," Valicia said, her voice breaking with emotion.
Valicia shared with me a poem she wrote as she sat beside her daughter's hospital bed in 2003. Valicia traced her hand and wrote, in part:
I am your hands. My hands will hold you up. The touch of my hands will soothe your pain, my hands will guide you, dress you and feed you. I just wish my hands would heal you...
Dominique also wrote a poem to her mother that year.
MomShe's my heartShe's my soulShe's the glue that keeps me wholeShe's my eyes that let me see.She's my spine that keeps me alive.She's my skin that keeps me in.She's my queen, my everything.She's my life...my entire life.For she's my mother.My dear mother.There will be no other...My beloved mother.
Laura Ungar has been the Courier-Journal's medical writer since 2004. Major projects have examined Kentucky's poor health, black lung disease, cervical cancer in India and the health insurance crisis among America's middle class. You can follow her series on 
Sam Upshaw, 46, of Louisville, has been a photographer with The Courier-Journal for 22 years. In addition to covering the community on a daily basis, he has visually documented Muhammad Ali, Kentucky's poor health, the University of Louisville's win at the Orange Bowl in Miami and Hurricane Ivan in Florida. Spending time with Terrell, he is inspired by the young man's strength and wisdom, which helps put life's little inconveniences in perspective.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
* Our online blogs currently are hosted and operated by a third party, namely, Blogger.com. You are now leaving the courier-journal.com Web site and will be linked to Blogger.com's registration page. The Blogger.com site and its associated services are not controlled by courier-journal.com and different terms of use and privacy policy will apply to your use of the Blogger.com site and services.By proceeding and/or registering with Blogger.com you agree and understand that courier-journal.com is not responsible for the Blogger.com site you are about to access or for any service you may use while on the Blogger.com site.
<< Home