Looking through and adding photos, I was reminded of the good times and the quality of the relationships she valued.

My mom, she had a young heart and a sharp mind. Her body paid the price for years of emotional struggle, kidney disease (from numerous medications) and ultimately antiphosolipid syndrome. In the last few years since “beating Covid” her body was fragile. Despite this, she persisted and fought to live. Cindy was on the verge of being discharged from the hospital and then on the night of September 9 into the 10th, 2022 her body gave. One thing that we can take solace in is she is free now of that pain.

Whether she was laughing or making other’s laugh that’s when she was at her happiest…besides hugs.

In my eyes (her daughter Lorraine), mom’s greatest strength was breaking the cycle of critical parenting. She had the strength to not repeat the pattern that her grandmother passed on to her mom and so on of passive-aggressive, hurtful comments and instead focused on lifting me up. She did this consciously till the very end and I felt loved. The way a child needs to. Not only loved but believed in. This was her greatest gift and it will benefit generations to come. Money you can earn and job titles come and go. The only title she wanted was mom, daughter, sister, aunt, grandma.

She deserved the same and as I grew to understand her, all of her, I was able to see and appreciate the true Cynthia behind her struggles. She was wicked smart, funny, thoughtful, had an amazing memory, appreciative and increasingly social. She became much more comfortable sharing her opinions in her later years. And even sported multiple “boyfriends”! :)

I called Cindy shortly after Thomas, her first grandchild being born to thank her. I’ve learned a lot giving birth and having two children of my own about what it means to be a mom. The choices you make, the day to day challenges, asking for help when needed, teaching and being there no matter.

I will forever miss her and am grateful for the time we had, especially those moments and conversations when we got beyond the fear, anxiety and depression. One of her fondest memories and mine also, was a Christmas Eve dinner 2018 (just her and I) at this Italian restaurant called Carrabba’s in W. Springfield. We sat for I’d say about three hours minimum and just talked. No rush, no place to be except with each other.