Count Your Blessings

[dan_s]

On March 31st we got some extremely bad news. Natalie Gonzalez, who has been on two EPG cruises, took a turn for the worse and is loosing her long battle with cancer. She is at home on hospice now and is not expected to live more than two weeks. Susan and I went to visit Natalie at her home on Sunday, but she was sleeping. We spend about 20 minutes with her husband, Ignacio who is a great husband and father.

Natalie is a saint who has touched many lives. She is 40 with two teenage daughters, who we got to meet on the first EPG Cruise to Alaska six years ago. Natalie has worked with us at the church's children's program for over ten years. Her oldest daughter is a regular singer at our church. I had Mia in my class at church when she was five.

Below is a note that Ignacio posted on Facebook on Saturday. Please say a prayer for this family. They have a rough road ahead of them.
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Dear family, friends and professional colleagues, I'm so sad and heartbroken to share the news with you that Natalie's cancer has made a really aggressive progression in the last few weeks. As many of you know, Natalie's cancer journey has been a long one, and she's been a fighter throughout this journey, doing everything possible to keep her illness at bay and focus on spending quality time with all of us.
Natalie's cancer progression at this point is incurable, and she has ...elected, with my support and the support of her close family, to spend the remaining time of her life with us here at home, receiving care from Silverado hospice services and her close family and friends. Since hearing the news from the doctor this past Thursday, my world has turned upside down knowing that my beloved Natalie, the keeper of our family's faith and mother of our two beautiful daughters, will be leaving us at some uncertain time to be with God. I am sure all of you feel the same way, and I am so sorry to share this news with you. Please take care of yourself as you receive this news and reflect on this sudden turn in our life story.
My focus at this moment is to get Natalie fully situated at home with hospice care, and get a good rhythm going where she is comfortable and we are able to make space for family and friends to visit her. I know many of you want to visit as soon as possible, and I will reach out soon when she's settled. Natalie spread her wings of love and care so far and wide, so that we have abundant support, and I am so thankful for all of you who have, and will, step up and support us.
My biggest ask of you right now is to pray for our daughters, Mia and Ava, that they have the strength to go through this season of loss with a clear understanding that this is God's plan, and that they be not afraid, knowing that Dad will be able to provide and care for them and see them grow and thrive the way Mom would have continued to work so hard and lovingly to achieve. Those of you who are close and interact with my girls, please be there for them, as I know you will. Pray for our families, especially Natalie's parents. Pray for a miracle. And honor Natalie by following her life example: a life of service to others, unconditional and abundant love to all, and a relentless, loving devotion to her daughters and life partner.
Thank you for your friendship, support and care. I'll stay in touch.