Forever Ken.

This blog continues to be a source of strength for me and my family. I can't tell you how much I appreciate those of you who still visit and comment - we read each and every one. One of the most difficult parts of losing a someone who lived as fully as Ken Waite did is the void that is left in his absence. We no longer get to experience his radiant smile, his sense of humor, his sincerity or his drive. I want more than anything to preserve his legacy and life. If a story comes to mind, please share it here in the comments or feel free to email them to me: kristi.waite {at} gmail dot com.

 There was a time when I would read posts on their corresponding dates and just long for the days - even the hard days, when I was here sharing his story. Somehow, I've moved through that phase and now find myself coming back here to draw strength and courage from my father's battle with cancer. He continues to inspire me every day.

Recently, my mom and I were talking about the last few weeks of his life. As you may recall, we had one of the biggest snow storms in Seattle at that we've seen in years. He was going to Fred Hutch nearly every day of that crazy storm. It was nothing short of a miracle that he was not in the hospital for Christmas and for those of you who knew my dad know how much he loved the holidays and how important traditions were to him. He was bound and determined for things to be as normal as possible that year. In fact, the day after Christmas, he had it in his mind that he wanted to go shopping; which he did. No less than 24 hours later, he was in the hospital again - where he spent the remainder of his life.

 Those last few days were hard. I recall many times watching him breathe knowing how much effort that was for him and with each breath, breathing with him because it felt like all I could do. During that time, he brought a whole new meaning to fighting for your life. He was a champion at living and how fortunate we are to know someone that was so hard to say goodbye to!