MANDY: A LIFE
How is it possible to write about Mandy's life on just a few web pages? How can I capture her wants and dreams - her very essence - with just a few paragraphs? She was one of those people who are larger than life. But now she's gone and we miss her terribly.
Mandy was beautiful. And brilliant. She had a quick mind (and a quicker mouth) with a fabulous sense of humor. She loved life and was always on the go.
Mandy was born on April 23, 1976 at Alameda Hospital in Alameda, CA. She had three younger
brothers, Mickey Jr., Michael, and Brian, and two younger half-sisters, Sabrina and Leslie She was a wonderful aunt
to Sabrina's son, Jeremiah, and Michael's son, Austin. She was also very close with her step-mother, Peggy. Family was very important to her.
Mandy was always outspoken, even at a young age. No one could ever call her shy.
She would talk
to anyone - and did. She was so open and loving.
When I worked at a nursing home, she loved
going with me to visit with the residents. She would climb on the residents' laps and have long
conversations with them. Being only three years old, her conversation was limited but the residents
never tired of her. Nor she of them.
I used to take Mandy out several times per week. She loved going "bye byes". She
would say,
"Auntie, take me! Please take me!" and of course I would. Even going to the car wash was an
adventure for her.
One day when she was four years old, I was going to take Mandy out for a ride. When I went to get
her, she wasn't anywhere to be found. We tore up the house but with no result. Finally, I
decided to drive around the neighborhood. There she was, down the block, sitting next to my car!
When asked why she was there, she said she knew that I was getting ready to leave and she wanted to
make sure I didn't forget her!
When Mandy was 6 years old, she wanted me to tell her the "facts of life". I told her I would tell
her on her birthday if she still wanted to know. Unfortunately, she remembered my promise and,
on her birthday, told me it was time. So I gently told her as much as I thought she would understand.
Afterwards, I asked if she had anything to say. She said, "Auntie, I think I'm going to be sick!"
We teased her about this for years.
Before we knew it, Mandy was a teen-ager. A typical teen-ager, who knew everything and wasn't When Mandy was in her 20s, she had two beautiful daughters, Mariah (born in 1998) and Adrianna At Christmas 2002, the family got together at Mandy's Grandmother's house for our usual Christmas After the Holidays, Mandy's condition worsened. In February, she was finally diagnosed with
about to listen to anyone older than her. I don't know how we made it through some of those days.
Now, though, we would give anything to have her back with us. Even as a know-it-all teen.
(born in 2000). Mandy also began working for State Farm Insurance, in Oakland. She loved her job
and her co-workers. We were all so proud of Mandy for finding a good career.
Holiday. We were all so excited because Adrianna (Didi) was finally old enough to be interested in
what was inside the gift boxes. Unfortunately, there was a bit of bad news - Mandy was told she
was going to be laid off from State Farm due to the economy. Also, she had been having pain
in her hips. We had no idea the hip pain was the beginning of the end of our beloved Mandy.
Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL). After being in two other hospitals, she was admitted to UCSF.
They tested Mandy's brother, Mickey Jr., for a bone marrow transplant and he was a perfect match.
Unfortunately, the surgery could not be done due to her condition. Although the doctors and nurses
did everything they could, Mandy slipped into a coma and died shortly after midnight on
August 4, 2003.
