BRIANNA RENEE ALDRIDGE, 5 months, died June 16, 2002, at Providence Alaska Medical Center.
A helicopter ride will be taken at 1 p.m. today to Mount Susitna to scatter her ashes. For those who would like to watch, they may do so from Point Woronzoff.
Brianna was born Jan. 6, 2002, in Anchorage.
The family stated: "Brianna has touched the lives of so many. She will be missed greatly. Although she never cried, she's singing with the angels now. Please visit her tribute Web page at: home.gci.net/~kevinandjamie/Brianna/Brianna.htm.
Survivors are her parents, Kevin and Jamie Aldridge; grandparents, Larry and Judy Hancock, Darius and Marjorie Aldridge, and Vicki and Paul Matusewic; great-grandparents, Alexander Buyers, Lillian Bertuccelli, Richard and Alice Hancock, Jean Hancock and Jay Matusewic; nine aunts and uncles; and five nieces and nephews.
Memorial donations may be made to Credit Union 1, 3500 Eide St., Anchorage 99503.
Forget me not When I am gone. My memories in stone. When day is done And you are all alone Forget me not For good times shared. The nights we were but one Forget me not. With each rising moon And the setting of the sun Forget me not. As you grow old The days, they just seem longer. Remember with each passing moment My love for thee is stronger.
All I can say is wow...what a day. It's midnight here & I'm still up. Just got done taking pictures of the beautiful sunset we had tonight (11:30). We did have some clouds over the mountain at 1:00, but tonight it was a beautiful sunset.
To look over there & 'see' my sweet baby girl laying there peacefully is just so calming. Brought tears to my eyes.
Today, there weren't very many tears. Although it was sad, it was a very happy day. Why, you may ask? Relief. I know she is in a better place. She is overlooking the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen.
We landed on Mt Susitna's head, in a spot that we knew we couldn't miss from far away. We got out of the helicopter & immediately saw a rock sticking up in the middle of nowhere. Perfect we said. A rock just for her. So we got in front of it, Kevin opened the urn while I opened the keepsake container that had the Alaska state flower, Forget-Me-Nots, & Pacific Northwest wildflowers in it.
We each spread the contents at the same time. The breeze was just enough to spread them all around. Did I cry at this point. No. I was so free. Free of pain for her, free of ups & downs, free of never-ending hospital stays, just free. Seeing the wind pick her up, I knew that she was free as well.
I picked some wildflowers that were blooming there along with a small rock, to keep in the trinket that had the Forget-Me-Nots in it. Just a little keepsake to treasure of our journey.
As I sit here typing this, I am crying. Maybe it's because it just hit me.
Brianna has done something for all of us. She has brought hundreds of people together. She has given us strength that nobody can explain into words. She is how I have made it through this. She truly was an Angel sent from God.
Brianna brought me many firsts. My first child. My first hospital stay. My first lear jet ride. My first helicopter ride. My first look into what life is really all about. But most of all, my first Angel.
I would like to share a poem that a coworker of my mom's wrote for her 8 year old son when he fell off of Flattop mountain while hiking & died. She has modified it for a little girl.
The Littlest Angel
The littlest angel in heaven Loves puppies and rainbows of fun Heaven will never be just as it was Now that her life there's begun.
She'll turn fluffy clouds into snowmen And swing on the stars up above. She'll turn golden streets into playgrounds And fill up God's home with her love.
She'll make dandelions out of sunbeams And find grassy meadows for playing Her laughter will ring where great choirs sing, But she'll hear me whenever I'm praying.
The littlest angel in heaven Is the one I am longing to see, For the child that belongs now with Jesus Is the child that belonged once with me.
I love you Brianna with all of my heart. Every time I close my eyes I hear your tender voice & see your sweet beautiful face. Mommy & Daddy will greet you again at Heaven's Gate, but for now, we will just have to wait.
Kevin & I have been camping out non-stop at the hospital. They have moved us to a private room where we are the only caregivers for her. I gave her a bath today & she smells really good now. Family & Friends have been coming by to visit & keep us company. It has been a rough couple of days.
Later on…
Brianna gathered all of our family together tonight to say her farewells. I had either received a phone call 10 minutes before or 10 minutes after from family members that could not be there. All other family members were present when she passed. We were getting her ready to go outside for some fresh air. I had just put on some socks to keep her feet warm. I lifted her up from Kevin’s mother, gave her a kiss on the cheek & took a look at her. I began to hand her to Kevin, when I stopped to look at her again & noticed her eyes were open. I said ‘Kevin her eyes are open’, then I heard her take her last breathe. I looked at Kevin & then her again, & began to cry even harder. There were 2 requests that I asked of her, that she open her eyes one last time so that I can see them, and that Kevin or I be holding her. She did one better, we were both holding her.
Kevin & I stayed with her for 3 hours after she passed. She looked so peaceful. I know that she is not hurting anymore. Like my mom said ‘She never cried, but she is singing with the Angels now.’ How true that is. She will forever be my guardian Angel.
Brianna still hasn’t woke up. Her Phenobarbital Level is now in the 70s. We would have thought she would have been awake by now. We did a CT Scan today & found out some very disturbing news. Brianna has a massive hemorrhage in her brain. She is classified to be in a coma & will never wake up. The Neuro-Surgeon came to talk with us & said there was nothing surgically that could be done to help her. It was only a matter of time before Brianna wouldn’t be with us anymore. It could be anywhere from a couple of days to 2 weeks. We are hoping for the shorter time frame.
We took Brianna back to the hospital today. She has been asleep since Saturday morning. Her Phenobarbital Level was 120 on Monday & she is beginning to have respiratory failure. They had to put her back on the nasal CPAP to help her breathe. We are hoping we will only be there a day or two, just long enough to help her get over this hump & wake back up.
FORGET ME NOT
