10/10/2009

 There have been so many wonderful people to help me along the way. Her sorority asked that I stay with them. I am very glad I made that decision. There was a lot of healing for me and for them as we walked through those early days

 The police and fire chief were so kind. They spoke slowly, repeated themselves and wrote numbers down for me. Someone came by to update me each day as we waited for her body to be recovered and identified. It was difficult for me to retain things and because of their grief training I took this clue and began writing down things that were said to me. It took until Tuesday afternoon, 4 ½ days for them to recover, identify and release her body.

The next day was her birthday. She would have been 22. I signed the cremation papers that morning. I went to the endowment office that afternoon to set up a scholarship in her name. They dropped everything to get it ready so I could sign it on her birthday. This has brought a lot of healing. It was endowed in January of 2007. They issued the first scholarship in the fall of 2008. Miss Liu was the first recipient. She was also in the fire. The recipient for 2009 is Mr. Gates. He suffered a massive stoke in 2004, regained his ability to walk in 2006 and enrolled in school. He believes that education is the best stimulation for his mind. Mr. Gates will graduate next year and has invited me to his graduation. I am so thrilled that these people carry on Nicole’s legacy. 
 
I visited two of her three employers while I waited for the Scholarship and made arrangements for her W2s to be sent to my house. Using the lessons I had learned at the sorority house, we visited and told stories about Nicole. It brought healing again just as it did at the sorority house.