My beautiful bride of over 24 years, my beloved Maureen, passed peacefully in her sleep on October 21, 2014 at 50 years old after an on and off 11 year battle with breast cancer, ultimately succumbing to the effects of metastatic breast cancer. She was more than my bride. She was the mother of our 3 children. She was a daughter. Sister. Cousin. Aunt. Mom. Amazing architect. And, for me, my precious wife. She knew me like no other. She transformed me, and on the weekend before her passing, our oncologist had prescribed donuts. This was one prescription with which we dutifully, and happily, complied!
At this point in her disease’s progression, the cancer had spread to the lining of her lungs, making it harder to breathe. She was receiving oxygen via a blow by tube, and and when I brought her powdered donut into the car from the donut shop, she smiled. She also leaned forward to turn up the air conditioning. Cold air helped. And, as the AC kicked into high gear, the powder of the donut blew everywhere. We laughed, something we had never stopped doing. Just like we have sprinkled her cremated ashes in places of love since her passing, I have sprinkled the powder and the love of the donut by carrying bags of Mrs. Baird’s powdered donuts to special places around Austin, and other places, in her memory. On the 21st of each month, the day of her passing, it is #powdereddonutday, a way to turn a day of sadness into a day of joy. ❤️