I’ve known Alix since she was about seven years old. She and my daughter, Kelly, were friends. Still are. Very good friends. The were competitive, loyal, a buffer for each other through the absurdities and cruelties of elementary and secondary school.
Alix is a grown woman now, accomplished, bi-lingual, intelligent, caring and a lovely, gentle soul who often thinks of others over herself. In recent years she endured, with her parents, her father’s debilitating wait for a kidney transplant and all the attendant worry about dialysis and declining health. As well as that, her mom was recovering from cancer.
In a strange and somehow poetic twist of fate her mom recovered completely, enough that she was able to donate one of her healthy, perfect-match kidneys to her husband.
And through it all Alix was there, to support in every manner she could.
Recently, Alix took up training for marathon running, partly in tribute to her dad who used to run. Her brother made a pact with her that during the last leg of the runs he’d run it with her to cheer her on and offer support.
Sunday Alix completed her first marathon. Matthew, her brother, although in South Africa, called her on his cell phone to ‘run’ with her that last, brutal leg. Mr. and Mrs. Daubney were there in the crowds, cheering her on, as was our daughter, Kelly.
At the end of it she gave her dad a huge hug and said, “I’m doing it, Dad.” And Mr. Daubney’s response was to hug her back with tears in his eyes.
From Gary and Lorina here, Alix, we send our salute to you. We are so very, very proud of you!