Over the past few years, a handful of people I went to school with have met early ends of one sort or another. Generally they were just that – I’d neither had a class with them nor had occasion to speak to them. This evening while poking around Facebook, the handy “News Feed” showed that Courtney Saunders and Jill had recently joined a group called “Praying for Erin.” A quick look at the group led to the cold fact that Erin was Erin Adkins Wilson and the prayer was because she had cancer. Sharp eyes will note the past tense verbs. She passed on yesterday morning and in all honesty, I barely knew her. If I remember correctly, she occupied the seat in front of me in Algebra II some ten years ago. My gut tells me that I may have helped her out in class, but I don’t clearly remember.

As tangential as that relationship might be, her death hits awfully close to home. I spent 90 days less than three feet from her and probably helped her learn something. It’s not anything like losing a family member or spouse, but it does leave me a bit empty inside knowing that she is gone along with the weak tie between us.

Erin Renae Adkins Wilson 1980-2006