I went to the memorial service for my friend on Saturday. It was the most amazing, wonderful, moving service I've ever been to. We got to know Crescentia in a way we didn't before and we left even more grateful for having known her. Her father closed the comments by saying "You have your charge, go do it." and we all left knowing that the incredible energy and commitment to changing the world that was Crescentia spirit was still very much with us, and we would accomplish great things in her name.
The night before the service, a bunch of "Breast Friends" had gathered to make yellow and green ribbons in her honor. She abhorred the idea of people dressed in black at the service, so to make sure they had something colorful, they found ribbon in her favorite colors -- yellow and green -- (or as her mother put it "puke green" ) and made 500 pin-on ribbons. It was wonderful to look out over the audience and see all those ribbons. And then I had my first major revelation of the day.
I realized that as much as Crescentia's death was a horrendous loss, and a very scary concept for all of us with the same disease, there was huge comfort in knowing that when I go, there'd be someone there to make ribbons for me (if anyone wants to know my favorite colors are puke green and blue.) And even more important, as I reflected on Crescentia's passions and causes and what I could do to make them even more successful, it occurred to me that I'm pretty sure that the Breast Friends would be there to continue the Concert or whatever the passion or the cause will be when I go. And through my tears I started to smile.
I came across this blog by chance, and happened to read the most recent entry about Crescentia, and I'm wondering if this is the same Crescentia that I photographed in may 2004 with her daughters for a story in the Foster's newspaper. Is this Crescentia True of Newmarket? I expect it's one and the same, and I'm deeply saddened if that's the case. I vividly remember the immense admiration I had for this woman as I left the assignment after taking a portrait of her and her daughters. What an incredibly special and wonderful woman she was, and I barely knew her. Is this the same person? Photograph at http://www.photogs.org/cres.html
Andrew Moore
Photographer, Seacoast Media Group
Posted by: Andrew Moore | March 26, 2006 at 10:55 PM