Hannah Rowley
Hannah Rowley picture at Logan's Candies, Ontario, California.
Here's an excerpt from a March 2004 article about Hannah's fight (unfortunately, most of the article is no longer available):
Jerry Rowley caresses his daughter Hannah's head as she slips in and out of consciousness Wednesday at Childrens Hospital in Los Angeles, Hannah, 8 who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in July 1999, is in critical condition with an infection of the colon. "We need a miracle," said Susi Rowley, Hannah's mom, Wednesday morning at Childrens Hospital in Los Angeles. Hannah Rowley's favorite nurse, Debbie Wikso, checks on her while her mom, Susi comforts her.
Here's a later entry:
Hannah Rowley's nearly five-year battle with leukemia ended early Tuesday morning at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. The 8-year-old from Mira Loma, who loved horses and playing the guitar, died at 1:50 a.m. with family and a few friends by her side. "We don't think of it as a loss; we know right where she is," said her father, Jerry Rowley, who owns Logan's Candies in downtown Ontario. "We're sad for ourselves, but we're happy for her because she is in heaven. She has no more pain, no more sickness...."
With all of the deaths in the news lately (Johnnie Cochran, Terri Schiavo, Frank Perdue) and near deaths (as I write this, both Pope John Paul II and Prince Rainier are still alive), it is the deaths of the young that hurt - and inspire - the most.
Comments
Nice that you can write about someone that most of us have never heard of, yet still make it personal and real.
Logan's Candy (owned by her parents) is one of those small city "institutions" - at Christmastime, crowds gather outside the window to watch them make candy canes. So, needless to say, all of the customers (including us) were aware of Hannah's plight.
In addition, other businesses lent their support. I remember that the Ontario Bakery (on Mountain Avenue) posted a poster about Hannah (they also posted Alexa's Wish posters - totally different topic).
Several years ago, I vaguely remember my daughter talking about donating some toys to her - I can't remember whether we actually helped her to do that or not.