The last 18 months have taken a toll on us. As of September 22, there were a total of 678,502 deaths related to the COVID pandemic.
But we find amid such loss, a brother’s remembrance of his sister can move us, reminding us we are all special.
Karen Sydow’s brother Erik’s message began simply, an obituary written in the style of a eulogy: “In memory of my sister who never had wants or misgivings.”
The remembrance, shared by a journalist on Twitter, became an internet favorite with over 250,000 likes and 2,000 comments. Data from Twitter documents that the Tweet reached over 10 million users.
You can learn more here in the expanded Los Angeles Times article, as well as connect to Erik’s message and perhaps reflect on those most special people in your life as a result of it, too.
His grief for Karen is raw, the sort that he said can come on strong unexpectedly. It knocks him sideways. And in these moments, Erik returns to a treasured memory.
He said that whenever his visits with his sister were drawing to a close, he’d give her a hug and a kiss, telling her, “I love you.” Once, about 10 years ago, the woman who only said “mom,” “piano” and “Donalds” did something remarkable.
“She said it two times, clear as a bell: ‘I love. I love,’” Erik recalled. “It only happened that one day. I don’t know what brought it out of her.”
Remarkable obituary in today’s paper. pic.twitter.com/UbgbxzwHg6
— Daniel Miller (@DanielNMiller) September 18, 2021
