Each of us is responding to Kari’s loss in his own way. Matthew, last evening, wished Kari’s stuffed animals a good night. Our granddaughter, Elia, informed her dog that Kari had died. Bailey seemed sympathetic. As for me, beyond the shock, tears, and waves of deep sadness, I process. And as I do, there is always some reason for joy.
The following were my thoughts before I fell asleep last night…
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“If any of us suddenly had RARS2 syndrome, we would die. This condition is incompatible with life. It is that consequential,” the CHOP specialist explained to us. At the time, Kari was 35 years old. If what the doctor is saying is true, how is it possible that Kari is still alive?
All her life, Kari struggled to live. It is truly amazing is that God enabled her to live over 39 years with this profound genetic deficiency. Kari should appear in the Guiness Book of World Records, as no one else has come close to living so long.
“Dying, you will die.” It is universal. Therefore, to some extent everyone battles to have life or maintain life or have more life. Some of us are more successful than others (for a while, though we too will be overcome by death). Perhaps we have better genes, live in a cleaner environment, have access to basic or more advanced medicine, and greater protection from harms than others in the world. While Kari had most of these advantages, because of RARS2 she had to fight harder than most to keep living and to experience each degree of life.
And God allowed her a measure of life as she fought, repeatedly. She overcame one thing after another. He also gave us strength (beyond our ability) to fight with her. That undoubtedly helped – for a while. He also used others to encourage her to live. Their prayers gave her strength.
Now, death seems to have won, and Kari has lost the fight. Heaven, however, does not consider her a loser. I’m certain a rich welcome awaited her – greater than any victory parade the world has ever seen. The struggle, the life-long battle to live, is over. How different – so hard to imagine: Living in a place without any struggle to keep living, where absolutely everything is so full of life. Nothing about Kari (except for her body – and God will remedy that before we know it) is now “incompatible with life.” And that thought brings me joy.
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