Four months today. I think I should put down some memories of that day. I'm not sure why...maybe for posterity. Or just for me.
I'll back up a few days. I talked to
Samantha on Friday, March 26. She had been to see a new doctor about her shortness of breath. The doctor told her the report from Patient First said her lungs were clear of the pneumonia. He gave her an inhaler and a prescription and told her to come see him in a week. She said, "Will I be better in a week?" He said, "You'd better be." I asked her to please take it easy for that week.
Talked to her a few times Saturday. That night was the Young Womens Mtg. and, of course, she was going. Besides the chance to be with Alex, she was playing for a Young Woman to sing. I asked her to send her family to church on Sunday and stay home, which I knew she wouldn't do. As we were driving home from Matthew's Sunday afternoon she called. Said she had been to Sac. Mtg. and then came home. I knew she didn't feel good if she came home without going to Primary.
I think I talked to her when we got home that evening.
Monday morning we headed to Mt. Pleasant to finish up some work for a dentist there. I called Samantha first thing to see how she was. That spark in her voice was not there. I said, "Is this how you sound after a day of resting?" She said she was going to rest as much as she could all week because Alex and his family were coming the end of the week and she wanted to feel good enough to "play" with them. I told Dad she didn't sound good. Around noon I called her from Nephi. She was anxious to get Tyler's email, but still sounded weak. Dad talked to her a couple of times that day and agreed. The last time I talked to her was a little after 5pm. She wanted to know when we would be home to read Tyler's email. I told her we were at the library, Dad was picking up a book. Then we were going home and I would read it then.
I think it was 6:21pm. I was sitting at my computer, had just finished reading Tyler's email, and my phone rang with Samantha's name. I said, "Yes" and Ken said "this isn't who you think." He explained that he had called 911 and they were taking Samantha to the hospital in an ambulance.
We sent out an email to all the kids and had a prayer. I called Rach to make sure she got the email and she said she had just been texting with her about an hour earlier (When I asked Rach later what they were texting about she said, "math.")
Ken called from the hospital with concerns and said he couldn't see her. Then he called to say they wanted to know if Samantha had a history of heart trouble. We said no. The last call came around 8:15pm, I think. Ken said she had had a massive heart attack and was gone. I remember hearing Bernice Murray screaming when she got the word about Steven. I wanted to do that. But I think I just cried and moaned. And Dad did the same.
We called the kids. I called Matthew, Rach and Alex. Dad called Luke, Hebe and Jed. Luke, Hebe and Carley came right home and stayed. Jed flew in the next day. I called Aunt Carol and Aunt Janeen and Dianne Smith who is serving a Mission. Dad said, "Shall I call the Bishop?" I said, "The bishop doesn't even know Samantha." He said, "He knows us." A few minutes later the house was filled with friends and neighbors. That continued until we left for VA and then again when we got home.
I have included these two pictures because I think they are windows into Samantha. For her, reading started at a very early age. She has always loved to read and to share what she read with others. And anyone who has ever seen Samantha sitting with her cross stitch, or quilts, or whatever knows she always sits with one leg up. Things haven't changed much, except she isn't here anymore.
