To Kathy

Last Tuesday we were having a Johnson family conference call when Scott told us that Kathy's health was really going downhill and that he thinks we need to be there soon. We booked flights that night and flew to Utah the next morning. We were picked up from the airport and drove straight to the hospital where Kathy had been for several weeks. We had been getting updates about her from the family ever since she was diagnosed with brain cancer last October, but there was always a disconnect since we live so far away. We were never there to watch the progression of her sickness, and we think the family may have been downplaying how severe her symptoms and complications were. When we came to her hospital room she was in a coma and was having a lot of difficulty breathing. She had contracted pneumonia and had been in a comatose state since Monday. The doctor's had her on the strongest antibiotics they had, but it was going to take 2-5 days for them to kick in. In the mean time she got a blood clot in her leg, and there wasn't a lot they could do about it because the risks were too high. That night the nurse told us that she thought Kathy might pass away in the night. Our entire family was able to be there with her. We sang songs to her and talked about our favorite memories. They say there is no way to know if someone in a coma is aware of their surroundings, but I'm pretty sure that Kathy knew we were there. There was so much love and comfort in that room. We stayed in the hospital for the next two days, hoping that Kathy would wake up. Her eyes fluttered open a couple of times, but there was no consciousness. On Thursday at 3 pm, Clayton and I were taking a nap on the couch out in the hall when Whitney's mother-in-law, Mercedes, woke us up and told us that Kathy had stopped breathing. We ran into the room and found everyone circled around her. I looked at her and could tell that Kathy was not there anymore, it was just her body laying on the bed.

Kathy's death has been a very hard experience for our family, but we have found great comfort throughout this trial. Friends, family, and neighbors have come to support the family with food, hugs, and visits. We are all very grateful to be together, especially when we are usually spread throughout the country. But mostly, it is faith in the Plan of Salvation that has made Kathy's passing more bearable. I have been taught about and have known the Plan of Salvation my entire life, and for the most part I accepted it, because I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is true. It wasn't until Kathy, someone that I love dearly, died that my testimony in the Plan was tested. However, as soon as she died I knew that Kathy had passed on to the spirit world where she is doing missionary work and greeting her family. I have no doubt in my mind that she is rejoicing over the end of her mortal experience, and that has made all the difference for me.

Kathy was such a wonderful woman. She is the kind of woman that I try to emulate and aspire to be like. She was kind, thoughtful, adventurous and brilliant. She was a gospel scholar, and constantly inspired me to continue learning about the Gospel and the Church. The first time I met Kathy I remember feeling so welcomed and comfortable around her. She has always made every effort to include me in every family event and has really been the key to my easy fit in with the family. When I was preparing for my wedding and my own mother was across the country, Kathy didn't even need to be asked to step in and help me. Clayton and I found refuge at the Johnson's often, and it was not uncommon for us to come to their house multiple times a week. Kathy was also our resource for just about everything. I would call her while at the store to ask for a recipe or advise on a product, or in the car on a long drive to help me stay awake, or even when Clayton and I were having a discussion about something and needed a third opinion. I could not have asked for a better mother/role-model/friend, and she will be sorely missed. I'm really sad that my children wont know her personally, and that I can't call on her wisdom about how to raise them. However, I know that families are forever, and I know that I will see her again one day.