Born October 24, 1959
Died July 17, 1996
Services Aug 7, 1996
Farewell to a Friend
....
Being a person who, like many of us, has shaped my existence around a constantly rigorous and chaotic schedule due to the demands of both work and school, I would like to take a brief moment to acknowledge one of our peers . A person whose life touched many of us in many ways, both personally and professionally. A person who worked hard at what she did and cared while doing it. A person whose life was snuffed out while attaining just the right momentum to realize the pinnacle of her dreams.
We have all heard or read about how great a person was after they have gone. Whether true or not, a great deal said about the person in question is usually the result of how people come to terms with their own mortality. However, as cathartic as this message may be, anyone who reads it and knew Donna Griffith will realize in their heart that I am not just paying lip service to a classmate who is with us no more.
Donna was one of the most dedicated people I knew while we were in school together." She had an insatiable urge to learn coupled with an intense investment in her job and the people she worked with. She always went the extra mile, regardless of the difficulties involved in getting to her destination. She asked questions and went out of her way to get answers, sometimes stubbornly, determined to be satisfied with what she found.
In her personal life, Donna faced her fears and conquered her demons, subduing the ones
who wouldn't die with a vigilant awareness that they might try to come back if left unattended.
She became skilled at being ready for the unexpected problems life would throw at her, without
letting those problems impact upon her ability to care for others while she excelled at both work
and school. It was this quality in her that somewhat cushions the impact of the circumstances
surrounding her untimely and tragic death. Somehow, I would like to think, she may have been
ready. Because Donna was always ready for the unpredictable.
In any event , I am coming to terms with more than the fact that I will not see her again in
this life. Despite the horrible tragedy that put her and 229 other people on a common path
leading out of the door from this chaotic world, I am reminded of a philosophy on life shared by
Donna, myself, and others with similar experiences and lifestyles. The range ofthinking and
wavelengths we occupy lead us to believe that, regardless of our lifestyles, and sometimes due to
them, we are all on borrowed time. Every day, every minute, every second, is a plus -in essence,
a gift. Which is why every moment should be lived to its fullest. Am I trying to say that I think
there was a reason for this, or that I'm looking for something good, however small, to come out
of this? No. I am just saying what I think holds true all of the time, even though we don't usually
put a conscious effort into thinking about it. It is even sadder that it takes a tragedy to remind us
that we truly have to stop sometimes and literally smell the roses.
Donna will be greatly and painfully missed. And while our lives go on, the world has
become a gloomier place without her, as heaven becomes that much brighter.
Good-bye friend.
You will remain a bright flame alive in our hearts, hidden inside us as we journey through life in many different ways, giving us strength from our memories of you. Thank you for sharing yourself with us. Farewell Donna. We miss you and love you.
...
Matteo Capaccio
