I just wanted to take the time to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart. The support that Derrick and I, and our families received was remarkable. All the cards, prayers, phone calls, and meals really helped to boost all our spirits when we needed it. Also, thank you to all who participated in and attended Derrick's beautiful service yesterday. I know Derrick was smiling down on all of us and was thrilled with the turnout, the kind words spoken about him, and the beautiful music that was shared. I am so glad that Derrick was able to touch so many people with his unwavering spirit and courageous attitude. He was a true example of how we should live our lives. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't angry about his passing, but I quickly try to remind myself how blessed Derrick and I were to have the time we had together. I truly believe what I said yesterday that life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. Derrick filled my life with enough memories to last forever and enough love to carry me on for years. He provided me the strength I needed to make it through the past 10 months, and especially the past couple of days. And for this I am thankful to him. My Diggy was a blessing and miracle that God placed in my life. He has made me a better person and he will always have my heart. I only hope that Derrick will continue to inspire others to love completely and live fully. Since I have been Derrick's voice for the past 10 months, I thought I'd be his voice again and remind you all to keep a positive attitude, help others, and count your blessings. I wish the absolute best to all the loyal blog readers, family, and friends of Derrick. A special thanks to Donna, Jim, and Marcy for all their love and support, and accepting me into their beautiful family. Please feel free to keep in touch at: Mindy Dull 421 Market Street Apt.3 Lewisburg, Pa 17837
- Some men leave their mark on the world by the way they live and the difference they make in the lives they touch.
-Baby since the day you came into my life
You made me realize that we were born to fly
You showed me everyday new possibilities
You proved my fantasies of love could really be
Let's go to a place only lovers go
To a spot that we've never known
To the top of the clouds we're floating away yeah
Ooh this feels so crazy
Oh this love is blazing
Baby we're so high
Walking on cloud 9
You've got me up so high
My shoes are scraping the sky
You've got me up so high
My shoes are scraping the sky
Maybe later we can go up to the moon
Or sail among the stars before the night is through
And when morning comes we'll see the sun is not so far
And we can't get much closer to God than where we are
We'll go to a place only lovers go
To a spot that we've never known
To the top of the clouds we're floating away yeah
Ooh this feels so crazy
Oh this love is blazing
Baby we're so high
Walking on cloud 9
-John legend
I love you Derrick...
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
19 comments:
Mindy,
Thank you for taking the time to let us know how the services went, I'm sure that this is a difficult time for you. Derrick's story has really touched my heart. I still continue to pray for your family.
Sincerley,
April
Mindy, This message game me goosebumps and tears in my eyes, your love for Derrick is the most evident in the words you wrote here... wishing you all the best.
dearest mindy,
you will always be in our prayers as well as the rest of your family and derrick's family! we hope that you still make it down to ephrata lots or we will just have to come to lewisburg to get our mindy fix!! jim said that you still need to learn to drive stick shift and he hopes it goes a bit better than one of the times when he had marcy out. derrick must be smiling down at you each day and loving you so much from his special place in heaven! you still continue to teach us from this blog because we always need to remember how fortunate that we are for the amount of time we do get with the people that we love so much!! we shall cling to all the great memories. love you, the sensenig family
Mindy,
I'm so very proud of you. I have never seen someone so courageous and strong. But it doesn't surprise me. You've always been this way even when you're a child. You always give everything you have inside. You are a true angel. I wish I could take the pain and hurt for you. Just know that I'm always thinking of you and praying for you. I wish you peace and love. I love you so much! Aunt Moley
I am sure you don't know me...my family is family friends of the Dulls...but I just wanted to let you know that I admire your courage and strength in this difficult time. Your positive attitude through all of this has never ceased to amaze me.
My husband and I will continue to lift you up in our prayers and ask God to restore your joy and peace!
Thank you for continuing to fight on as you have encouraged others to live each day to the fullest, for none of us know the will of God or when He will call us home!
You have indeed been blessed and have been a blessing to many who know you and who read this blog! You have been an amazing example of unconditional love!
Always in our prayers!
Ashley
Mindy,
Our thoughts and prayers are with you. I can't find the words to adequately express what I would like to, so I'll just say, Derrick has touched our lives and will be missed. He just had that type of personality that said Welcome! People like that are rare and precious, and Josh and I are inspired to be better people for knowing him. Jen and Josh
Mindy and family,
Thank you very much for sharing this blog and for your inspiration. Through our son's 3-plus years of chemotherapy for acute lymphocytic leukemia beginning at age 16, I learned a lot about the huge challenges cancer patients face and about the importance of savoring the goodness found in each day. Derrick and all of you have exemplified great courage,optimism, grace and the true meaning of love, and have touched many others deeply. I will continue to keep all of you in my prayers.
To Mindy and the Dull's,
I just wanted to take a minute and say some things i couldn't get out on Tuesday evening. I just want you all to know how much i admire your strength and courage through this whole ordeal. I know you already know this but i feel the need to tell you again, Derrick was a remarkable human being. His smile was contagious and so was his kindness. Because of all he and your family have been through, I, like many others, have gained an entirely new perspective on life. Its a shame that something so tragic as the loss of Derrick had to happen to really open my eyes, but the fact of the matter is, it did. I see my loved ones in a whole new light now. For what you have all been through, I'm sure you have all reserved your spots in Heaven with Derrick. I wish you all nothing but the best and you will continue to be in my thoughts and prayers.
Sincerely,
ellen
Mindy, my heart goes out to you. Your heart is so pure and the love you and Derrick had for each other is something that most people long for. I stopped in the middle of reading the comments to your post to tell my husband I loved him. You have reminded me to never take a minute for granted and that is something we all need to be reminded of on occasion. To never miss the opportunity to show or tell those you love how much you truly do love them.
As strong as I can tell you are by your post and by the fact that you were able to post at all, my heart goes out to you though dear sweet girl. I know your pain inside must be overwhelming. I know how it literally feels like something is pushing on your heart it's so heavy. After losing my mother to Leukemia, I cried for 71 days straight. I remember the first time I woke up and realized I hadn't cried the day before for the first time and calculating how long it had actually been. And of course, that alone brought tears to my eyes. It's been 3 years this month and I still get caught off guard by tears on occasion. But I mainly smile or feel warm feelings when I think about my Mom or look at her picture that I can see from where I'm sitting posting this. She will always be close to me in my heart. And I still feel the loss regularly. It does get easier. But it takes time, love and support from those around you and yet more time. I'm sure the grief right now feels like it's never going to go away. And there's no hurry to let it go. It's a tribute to your deep love for Derrick. Just take it one day at a time. And hold steadfast to your faith. That's one of the things about you and Derrick that so impressed me. Two young people with such a strong faith and devotion to the lord. It's been so refresing to read both of your blogs and see that. It reminded me of where my priorities always need to be. I will keep praying for you Mindy and for the entire family who is going through the same heartache and difficlut days that you are. Be sure to lean on each other for strength. Your love and support for one another will help get you through this. God be with you and bless you all. Leisa
Mindy,
I think we all need to thank you for making Derrick a better person. We all noticed a difference in Derrick from the moment he met you. You truly were his angel on Earth and continue to be a pillar of strength through all of this. Please keep in touch with all of us and I'll make sure you get Christmas baked goodies as soon as I get them made.
Ranae
Derrick's Angel,
Thank you for the great example of true love. Your example will live on. You will be in our hearts and prayers.
Love,
The Highfield's
Mindy,
This is Christopher, I met you at Sloan-Kettering when both are loved ones(Miles) were getting transplants. I want to extend my condolences to you and to Derrick's family. I have been teary eyed all morning reading your journal. I'm so sorry! It was a pleasure meeting you and Derrick months ago and you've been in my thoughts since.
Christopher
Dear Mindy,
You don't know me but I knew the Dull family from high school and have been following this blog. I just wanted to let you know that I am extremely sorry for your loss and that you and the Dulls have been in my thoughts and prayers.
My father passed away from cancer before I was old enough to remember him (I was three). While my loss is completely different than yours, I wanted you to know how much my mother's strength and courage in surviving and raising my sisters and I has inspired my life. I know that I can overcome anything because my mother is a hero who overcame the worst. I hope that you can begin to realize your own capacity through this situation to inspire those you love the most with your strength and courage. I am so grateful to have my father and mother's story as a part of my reason for living.
God bless you, and may your future be filled with love and joy.
To Derrick's Family -
I just want to say that it is very easy to see where Derrick got his courage, strength and capacity for love from.
When I first met Derrick at Mindy's sister's wedding rehearsal, he found me wandering around the restaurant looking for my family. He strolled up to me and smiled that big pearly white grin and introduced himself as Mindy's boyfriend. I thought Wow, mindy has hit the jackpot! She managed to find a guy with beauty and manners!
Over time I learned of his other charming qualities including his charm and sense of humor. We all fell in love with him.
When families are faced with difficult times such as a terminal illness they have many choices to make. One of those is to keep their personal struggles to themselves or to share them with others in the hopes that what they experience will help others along the way. I will be forever grateful that you made the choice to share as it has clearly affected many people on a deep level.
Lots of love to everyone and I hope that we can come together sometime in 2009 to celebrate Derrick's life and share stories of how he has changed our lives and the lives of others.
BIGGIE
Dear Mindy,
We met at Derricks veiwing altough you probably don't remember.
I cried my eyes out when i found out Derrick had cancer and again when i learned he had passed away.
I had great respect and admiration for him and i look back on the times i spent with him as a child and i will always treasure them.
Derrick always had a smile on his face i cant help but smile thinking about him. I feel sad that the last time i saw him i was small enough to still sit on his lap. I only got to see Derrick once or twice a year back then but he instanly found his way into my heart and made a big impact on my life. I will hold him in my heart forever. He was such a special person and he inspired me to keep on fighting through my own battles.
Derrick was and is easy to love and he was always my favorite cousin. ( i always refered to him as a cousin because i am not sure what exactly we were My grandpa was Derricks grandpa's brother)
Mindy you are a very special young lady and i admire and respect you greatly. It is so easy to see your great and amazing love for Derrick in your words and in your eyes.
Take comfort in the arms of our dear savior Jesus Christ for his arms are the perfect place to run.Derrick truely was your prince Charming.Derricks faith moved me to tears many times while reading this blog and i am at peace because he is at peace and up dancing and making people laugh in heaven free forever from the cancer. I can't wait to see him again one day.
Derrick will always inspire hope and courage in the people who hear his story. Mindy I hope we can be friends and i would like to stay in touch with you. My address is 1755 N. Colebrook Rd. Manheim Pa, 17545. My dear sister in christ you will always be in my thoughts and prayers.
God Bless You A billion times over
Linzy Hammer
Mindy
You have never met me. But reading through out these couple of months on D. I feel like i know you.
I knew Derrick from high school. We both grad. in 2003. He was such a great guy.
We lost touch right after high school. But the moment i found out he was sick not a day went by that i did not think of him.
I hope you are staying strong and know that he is look down on you every day.
Always remember you will always be able to see him and hang out with him in your dreams.
Take care of your self. Your be alright.
Chrissybrat32@hotmail.com
that is my email if you ever want to talk ..
<3
chrissy
“Perhaps they are not stars, but rather openings in heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy.”
~ Eskimo Proverb quotes
All my thoughts and prayers...
Mindy,
I am so sorry to hear about Derek. I am ashamed to say that I hadn't looked at his blog in a while and just learned of Derek's passing tonight. I was just so stunned at what I read because he seemed like he was doing so good at the hope lodge. I never will forget our times playing the wii with Derek. I will never forget the company and friendship that you gave to Miranda while Derek and I were in the hospital. I wish there is some way we could help take away the pain of all of this. I am so happy you were able to become his bride, I bet you guys were so happy. Your story reminds me of A Walk To Remember, I always cry in the end. Derek was an inspiration to me and has taught me not to lose sight of the gift I have been given. I hope we can stay in touch and that you will come to our wedding in May. Keep your head up and trust in your family and friends that everything will get better.
Matt Lauffer
Mindy,
This is Tawnee from high school. I just learned about your journey with Derrick a few weeks ago and began reading your blog. I am very sorry about your loss. I am amazed and inspired by your courage and strength throughout your relationship with Derrick. Your faith has brought you this far and will continue to carry you until you see Derrick again. Take care. We'll continue to pray for you and your family.
Tawnee and Brian
Post a Comment