Jason & Kylie Gough: Passing of a Dear Friend

Monday, July 2, 2012

Passing of a Dear Friend

On June 28th the world lost a wonderful woman, Kathy Holden, Charity's mom. She was the kindest woman I have ever met and she always had a smile on her face, even when she was sick. I got to be a part of some of the tender mercies that took place during her passing. I worked an early morning shift at the hospital and had done quite a few patients in a row, then the pager went off for a trauma eval, respiratory distress. It was not my turn but I decided to grab a student and head down there anyway. We waited until the ambulance arrived and then I saw her getting wheeled down the hallway. All I could think of was, "Oh, Kathy. Not again." She was just released from the hospital three days before and had been in and out for quite a while.

I texted Charity as soon as I saw her and said that I was with her mom in the ER...(HIPAA violation I know, but she always asks if I am working when they go to the hospital). Kathy looked extremely scared as they were wheeling her down the hall, so I was happy that I was a familiar face for her in a time when there were a lot of things going on. I was able to hold her hand during some of the poking and got to take multiple x-rays on her. I was just happy to be able to be there with her but didn't realize that that was going to be the last time I saw her. I saw her just before they headed to the ICU and then heard the news of her passing later that evening.

I was a total wreck the rest of the day. The thing that got me most was the fact that we weren't related at all (she is my sister-in-law's mom), but I was extremely saddened by her passing anyway. She raised such a wonderful daughter and I felt like if I ever needed anything I could ask her. If I saw her and Steve randomly somewhere, there were always hugs. She brightened up any room even when she wasn't feeling well. You could feel the love she had for others radiating from her always.

I was asked to take pictures at the viewing, funeral and luncheon that took place July 2nd. I was a bit nervous for the task but everything went well I think. The funeral was AMAZING! There was not a dry eye in the room. All of the talks were heart-felt and funny. Dustin and the brothers' musical number was great too. Charity's brother is a body guard for President Henry B. Eyring and to every one's surprise he presided over the funeral and said a few words even though he had only met Kathy a couple of times. The words he spoke are not mine to share but they were wonderful. I cried during the whole funeral but was comforted to hear, "To take sorrow out of death is to take love out of life."

Everything turned out wonderfully and the crying did not end with the funeral. At the graveside the prayer was wonderful, there was a bagpiper who played "Amazing Grace" and the grand kids let off balloons to go to grandma in heaven. It was an emotional roller coaster for me and I am not even a part of the family! I can't believe how well the family got through everything. I am grateful for the plan of salvation and for the knowledge that life does not end at death. Families are really together forever! Without that knowledge, I am not sure how we would survive. We love you Holden family! Our prayers are with you always.