Kenny was an avid animal lover. He devoted his last 4 1/2 years of his life to the Humane Society of Sarasota County, his home away from home. Hard work and dedication led him to become Lead Animal Care Specialist. He became extremely knowledgeable in the shelter clinic, working side-by-side medical staff and assisting in providing medical care to homeless pets. Kenny’s real passion was animal behavior. He was training with the Canine Behavior Specialist…
My daughter Shelby Forester was my special gift from God and a true blessing, born prematurely on March 19th, 1994 weighing just three pounds. She spent the first month of her life in the NICU fighting for her first breath. As a toddler doctors prepared us for possible developmental delays and Cerebral Palsy. Against all odds Shelby was perfect in every way. We learned quickly that Shelby was just eager to live and make her…
Ted Eugene Foster, Jr. passed away on August 2, 2009 when he was 20 years old. He was killed in a tragic accident while at work. Even in death, his giving spirit is carried on by being an organ donor. His gift of life saved six lives including a 4 year old little boy. When I was told that my son had “suffered a catastrophic injury” and was brain dead, my world fell apart. But…
David Lee Fox was a trustworthy and loyal man of integrity and honor; family was his first and foremost concern. He was a loving, giving, gentle soul who believed that something good existed in everyone. David loved adventure, including competition and sport sky diving, ocean sailing and navigation. He even earned a private pilot’s license at the age of sixteen. David met his wife, Liz, in college, where he obtained a degree in chemical engineering….
Michele Elise Friou lit up every room with her beautiful smile and her sweet laugh. She was always quick to volunteer her time and energy. Michele graduated with honors from the University of Houston with a degree in elementary education. She went on to excel as a teacher and was Teacher of the Year at her school in 2010. Although she was passionate about teaching, being a mother to her two sons, Travis and Collin,was…
Michael-Gene Robert Futch was a fun loving, family centered, 19-year-old with a passion for taekwondo and basketball. Michael’s other passion was helping others. He was kind and compassionate, even towards strangers. It wasn’t until the night of November 20, 2010, that our family had to make the decision for Michael to help others, as we know he would’ve wanted to. Michael had been in a tragic car accident that ultimately left him brain dead. As…
Barbara and I were married on October 26,1974 and she graciously donated her kidney on my birthday, May 22, 2008. I have had the transplanted kidney 14 years, 7 months, 19 days and it is going strong. I am grateful for the second chance at life my wife provided me. I try to make it count every day. I am grateful to my wife, the doctors at Emory, the transplant center and all of the…
Jesse loved creating, nearly as much as he loved making people smile. He had an artist’s soul and a joyous spirit, both which left this world far too soon. His mother, Lynn, realized early on that her son possessed an artistic talent. At 6 years old, Jesse drew a picture of a mad scientist, complete with wiry hair, white lab coat, jars of potions and a crackling ball of electricity. His skill grew as he…
Ashley Garcia, born July 2, 1989 was made an angel way too early in June 2012 in a very bad car accident. She was a giving, caring person with a great sense of humor; everything became a laugh when she was around. Ashley loved everything Disney and music of all styles. Her siblings meant the world to her and she made a friend out of everyone she met. Five minutes with Ashley felt like a…
This is a story about a large family of eight who grew up in Beaumont, TX. My parents, Gus and Jeanne brought six children (5 daughters and one son) into the world and taught them many valuable lessons in life, most importantly, love and family. Fast forward to 1981, when I was hospitalized with first illness caused by a normally genetic in nature disease called Polycystic Kidney disease, which afflicts 13 million in the world….