Ann is the adorable girl on my left in this picture. She was a spunky, full of life little gal that I was so lucky to know. As she grew up, her disabilities led to many struggles. It was a blessing that she found a home at the Rainier House starting in 2020, a place that could help meet her needs and keep her safe.
We never expected for a pulmonary embolism to take her so young. She was still very full of life. Listening to the tributes by her dad Brett, Clark, and her sister Emma yesterday was so beautiful. When we sang the closing hymn, and I thought about the words, "God be with you till we meet again," I felt like they didn't quite fit the scenario. Ann, in fact, in her true, healthy, beautiful self, is someone I haven't had the privilege to meet yet. The Ann who struggled with bipolar, manic depression, and was developmentally delayed isn't the Ann I'll meet again. That Ann got to leave her struggles in mortality. We'll get to meet an Ann with all the radiance and joy of the Ann we knew in this life. But it will be an Ann who also has all her mental faculties. Who will know and understand all the things that challenged her so much on this earth.
While we are going to miss her--I know she's finding joy in what she loved here--and so much more. I can't wait to meet you for real, Anner Banner.
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