Today will always be a really sad day for me. On this day right before the start of my Junior year in High School, my best friend's mom Tracey succumbed to Pancreatic cancer. This date haunts me every year. I will never look forward to another year passing without her here; another rotation of the sun.
Every time this day comes again, I think about going and seeing her at the hospital a week before she left us. That day is still by far the hardest day of my life. I wholeheartedly considered her my second mom and my love for her was incomparable to most. That day I knew I had to say goodbye. The cancer was terminal and she was fading fast.
"Mommy Tracey" was unlike any other woman I have ever had the pleasure to know. She was loving to the point where her heart was always wide open for any individual who needed her. Whenever you needed someone to talk to, cry on, or laugh with; she was always there. She was also blunt and straight to the point when she needed to be; which I loved and embraced!
Let's not forget how strong she was. She was a single mom with two children (my best friend and her older brother). She worked her ass off even when she was feeling ill a few months before her death. Nobody knew about her cancer until about a month before her passing.
I pretty much lived at Tina's house back then. I remember late one night Tracey came home with a huge box FILLED with an array of White Castle burgers. Tina and I were pretty excited when she walked through the door with all that food!
There was also one night where Tina and I were hanging out at a Coffee Shop (called Segue) and Tracey picked us up. Back then Tina and I were both into punk and rock music. While we were driving away, a group of our friends were outside hanging out and Tracey noticed this. With a big grin on her face she BLASTED rap music while we drove past the crowd of friends while waving to them laughing her ass off! It was so embarrassing, yet REALLY funny at the same time!
I remember Tracey and Tina forcing me to watch The Temptations movie. It was like pulling hair with me, but they didn't give up! Ever since watching the movie I have been hooked! Seriously, The Temptations are one of the BEST groups ever!!!
I remember being in some retail store with Tina and Tracey and Tracey finding two identical stuffed animal dogs that resembled their Rottweiler Jacob. She bought them for us girls. We had this silly baby talk language that we would use when talking to the dogs and so we named the dogs Duh Bah and Duh Udda Bah; "The Baby" and "The Other Baby." I never realized how much I would value a stuffed animal. It's my favorite!
There are many more amazing memories with Tracey. Going to the Tradesman to sing Karaoke, singing in the car as a group, auditioning for Midnight at the Apollo, and just plain hanging out and watching movies.
I miss her every single day. She was taken away from us way too early.
 |
| The beautiful Mommy Tracey |
Tina, if you read this, no one compares to you. You are the bestest friend that a girl could ever ask for! I love you!