It Was One Year Ago Today

Thus I cannot resist presenting one more post in memory of my wonderful son, John Darin Stith.  (His father’s name was ‘John’; my father’s name was ‘John’.   We each had grandfathers named ‘John’.  So our son was given that family first name.  But as his father and I agreed, we would call him ‘Darin’. ) 

We said good-bye to Darin on September 19, 2011.  It was a glorious farewell service for the son, brother, husband, father, uncle, friend, boss, co-worker and neighbor who lived life to the fullest, while challenging a lifetime of the ravages of Sickle Cell Disease.  He died on September 14, 2011.

In 1961, when Darin was born, I seriously thought my son might become the first Black President of the United States of America.  Then at 8 months old he was diagnosed with Sickle Cell Disease.  Learning about this debilitating chronic disease, I was forced to realize becoming President of the USA just might be out of Darin's reach. Little did any of us know, however, the first Black President of the USA, Barack Obama, had been born four months earlier, in Hawaii.

As a youngster my Darin enjoyed elementary school and playing with neighborhood friends in Richmond Heights, Missouri.  He participated in team play - bowling,  basketball and baseball and was a Cub Scout, very active.  I was the Den Mother so I’m thinking we inspired each other.  I’ll always remember the colorful circus those little boys helped plan and pull together for a Saturday morning Scouting event in our back yard.  It was a fun time.

My loving marriage to his father fell apart and I struggled with heartache.  Early one morning, when I thought my two children were still asleep, Darin found me solemnly staring out the living room window.   “What’s wrong, mom?” he asked, all at once there beside me.  I said to the little boy (inappropriately, I know), “No one loves me.”  Never to be forgotten, that child of mine said, “God loves you.”

At his sixth grade graduation he was the sole recipient of the “Good Citizenship Medal”.   It was an award from the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution presented to outstanding boys and girls with these qualifications.

Honor: honesty – high principles, trustworthiness, loyalty, truthfulness, punctuality, moral strength and stability, cleanliness in mind and body.

Service: cooperation, meritorious behavior bringing honor to school or community, kindliness, unselfishness, true Americanism – individual responsibility to Home, to Country, to God.

Courage: mental and physical, determination to overcome obstacles.

Leadership: personality – originality – ability to lead and hold others – good sportsmanship – responsibility.

Patriotism: fundamental Americanism.

 

This photo opportunity came as we were supporting an activity of his sister, Farah, at the time a Vice-President with the American Heart Association.  Darin insisted he wanted a picture of me and him with New York City’s former Mayor David Dinkins, Farah’s prized guest speaker for the evening.  I guess we were proud of each other. 

John Darin Stith has been my subject in three previous blog posts.  January 30th - ". . .against all odds . . . Sickle Cell Disease";  June 25th - "Darin (1961-2011)" and September 14th - "Darin Left Us a Year Ago".

If you ever find a way to help find a cure for Sickle Cell Disease, please be a part of the effort.