Day 2 :Before loss self portrait

I have always known that people died. That babies died . That teenagers died. That moms and dads died, and that that grandparents and grandparents died. I knew that sometimes people just died with no rhyme or reason.

I remember being in 8th grade and a classmate dying. Her death was totally preventable. She died from an asthma attack. I was 14 years old , and her death rocked me.I hadn't known her very long but she was one of the sweetest girls I knew. She was always nice to everyone.

Other than losing my great grandparents I had never been directly affected by someones death , somewhere in my mind I figured death was one of those things that happened to other people. I never would have guessed that it won't ever happen me. That my daughter would die before she had a chance to fully live.


Even though we knew she had Muscular Dystrophy I never could wrap my head around the fact I would outlive my daughter. No parent should ever have to understand that concept. Life isnt supposed to happen like that.. but it did. I wish I could be that naive person again that never thought it would happen to them.


This picture is of Casey and I about 6 months before she died. We had gone to the Iowa State fair.