Melissa

There are people who give joy to everyone they meet. Melissa is one of those people. Although her illness has robbed her of her mobility and most of her power to speak, she emanates undeniable joy. Her hospice chaplain described her in this way: “In spite of her terrible circumstances, Melissa always has a dear smile for me. She can barely speak, but she tries her best to whisper the hymns and gospel songs I sing for her. She smiles even more widely at her favorites, one of which is "I'll Fly Away." She prays with me sincerely. I am deeply inspired by her faith, hope, and love.”

Her hospice social worker also had the opportunity to get to know her well when Melissa spent a brief time in the inpatient hospice before returning home to the loving care of her parents. Melissa quickly won a special place in her heart, and she began talking with Melissa’s mother about a wish. After thinking about it, they contacted us…Melissa is an animal lover who is especially fond of rabbits. They thought the thing that would light up Melissa’s day would be the opportunity to pet a bunny. Little did they realize that at Project 4031 we are blessed by many generous contacts in our community! All it took was a few quick phone calls, and we were able to arrange two separate bunny visits to Melissa’s home.

With the help of her parents, Melissa was able to pet the bunnies, and one sweet little rabbit even snuggled up to Melissa in her bed. While conversation swirled around her during the visits, Melissa’s eyes never left the bunny, and her smile never left her face. One quiet word, “soft,” was her response to petting the bunny. The hospice chaplain shared her reaction to the visit: “When I mentioned it to Melissa on my last visit she responded with the biggest, sweetest smile, tears welling up in her eyes. I can't imagine how special that was for her.” Melissa is such a beautiful person, and her wish was so humble. It was a beautiful Easter blessing for us to be able to help make it a reality.