Hello, My name is Jennifer and I am from Pennsylvania.
I am 36 years old and was born with spina bifida.
I accidentally came across Kristin's homepage
when I was looking up some info fro a friend who
is expecting a baby with spina bifida. Initially,
I was excited when I started reading about Kristin,
because I wanted to contact her and perhaps develop
a friendship. Then I read that she has unexpectedly
passed away a few days after 9/11/01. I am very
sorry for your loss. I am curious what the cause
of her death was, and if it was, in any way, related
to her having spina bifida? Also, I just wanted
to say thank you for keeping Kristin's website
on the internet even though she is gone. She has
left us all with a wonderful legacy and for that
I am grateful. Thanks for sharing her with the
rest of us out there in the world.
With blessings, Jennifer
www.enter.net/~forester
Response from Tina
(Kristin's Mom)
Hi Jennifer,
Thank you for your email
and your reassuring comments regarding Kristin's
website. We have received many such kind responses
since her passing. Of course, when Kris originally
designed the site three years ago, we had no idea
it would be shared in this way. She simple wanted
to share her story and to reach out to other's
who share her disability.
In a much different way,
Kris is still sharing and inspiring. I draw on
her inspiration each day as do many who knew her.
You ask if Kristin's death
was in any way related to her spina bifida and
I'm not sure if I can give you a definite answer,
a clear medial diagnosis, she simply stopped breathing
on night in her sleep.
I have to think that it
was the way that Kris lived her life that determined
when it was time for her to leave us. I truly
feel that her life's mission was complete and
she was ready to move on.
Kris packed lifetime of
living into her 32 years. She didn't leave much
out. Each day that she lived was filled with lists
of things to do, people to contact and places
to go.
She would call me on Saturday
mornings about 9:00am and ask what I was doing
and then say "is that all!" and then
proceed to list, with pride, all the things she
had already accomplished for the day. I would
say, "Kris, it's Saturday morning, why don't
you rest? and she would answer, "I don't
have time, there's so much I want to do."
Kristin had so much energy,
much more that the average person and much more
that her physical disability was capable of handling.
She always felt she could do much more than her
body could. She never ran out of places to go
or things to do.
I 'am sorry that I can't
be more specific with you and neither could the
doctor's about her cause of death. I've come to
a place of peace about her passing and that, It
was Kristin's choice to leave, she was complete
on this Earth, she had lived her life to the fullest
and with every ounce of energy she had.
Please let me know if you
have other questions. Tell me about yourself and
what your life is like.
It was so good to hear from
you. With best wishes,
Tina (Kristin's Mom)
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