Eulogy for Anna Helen Molloy
given August 4, 2008
by her Aunt Margaret Brown
This is the opening paragraph from a paper Anna wrote this past school year as a tribute to Dr. Ackerman.
“It all started on September 28, 1995 at 5 o’clock pm. It was a great feeling to be born. I opened my eyes and that is when Jesus brought me into the world. . . .and He can take me out!”
Anna’s illness never really defined her. This past Good Friday of Easter week, I was here (at St. Jude’s Church) with Peter, Julie and Anna to watch Peter’s 8th grade class re-enact the last hours of Jesus life. It was beautiful worship. Afterwards I asked Anna how she was doing in bearing her cross of suffering from her disease. She told me she didn’t really see it as suffering. This was the way she was created and she deals with it the best she can. She thought a moment longer and added “but you know what, I hate getting I.V.’s, now that’s suffering.”
If she wasn’t defined by her illness, then what did define Anna? Here are some of her own words that I found in a scrapbook she was working on.
“Friends.. love.. smile.. family.. sports.. goodtimes.. fun.. good times.. memories.. vacation.. friends.. love.. Ellie&Anna.. fun.. shop till you drop.. sun.. fun.. princess.. ENJOY.. Indianapolis Colts.. I love my pet.. who let the dogs out.. Go Team-Lead the Challenge and boat rides are fun. “
In 2003 (Anna was 7 yrs.old and Peter her brother was 9) when it seemed Anna was nearing the end, I wanted to talk to her about heaven. She loved doing crafts so she and Peter and her cousin Ryan and I sat down to learn about heaven. I based the activity on the gospel of John when Jesus says that in His fathers house there are many rooms and that he’s going to prepare a place for us. Doubting Thomas says to Jesus, “we don’t know where you’re going, how will we know the way?” Jesus answers that He is the way..the truth..and the life and that no one comes to the Father but through Him. So after we discussed this a bit, I asked the kids to draw what they thought their room would look like in heaven. After a few minutes I asked them to tell about their pictures. Peter had drawn all sorts of cool stuff like play station and computers. Anna had one drawing I couldn’t really make out-when I asked what was so I could label it, she said “It’s God” as if He was enough. Then Ryan her cousin explained his drawing, which was also full of cool stuff like a ceiling fan that shot out Lego’s. So, Peter added a door that connects to Ryan’s room and Anna added a computer in case she got bored.
If we had to use only one word to describe Anna, it would be compassion. Pete told me the other day that Anna was always encouraging him to be more patient with Peter and especially with kids who had special needs. Her ministry of Anna’s celebration of Life was the outpouring of her compassion. And most kids her age would spend their Saturday mornings sleeping in or spending time with something that had a screen on it, but not our Anna. She was down at the Lords Pantry passing our food to the hungry people….Compassion.
Anna could not have become the person she was without her family.
(To Peter, her brother)
Peter, the Bible says that there’s no greater love than the kind that’s willing to lay down your own life for another. That’s the kind of love you had for Anna. God gave you the harder job…to watch your little sister suffer and not be able to trade places with her, even though you were willing. YOU are our hero as we watched you love Anna with the greatest love.
(To Julie, her mom)
Julie, when I asked you what you wanted shared about Anna you said “no regrets, she had a ball.” Well YOU are the reason why she had a ball. You could have kept her inside her whole life to protect her delicate immune system By letting her be around us, you raised the risk of her getting sicker, but you didn’t hold back at all. We all thank you for sharing her with us and for enabling Anna to live life to the fullest.
(To Pete, her dad)
When we were looking at the beautiful memorial in your front yard that the Greystone neighbors and friends had set up in front of the big rock, you told me of the significance that rock holds for you. How when you moved in, mom told you about the big rock that sits outside of Carrick Ireland, where Dad’s from. The rock is there to remind visitors to leave their cares and worries upon the rock as they cross the bridge to enter Carrick. You told me how you would do that each evening coming home from work. You’d leave cares and concerns of work outside on the rock and then go inside and completely focus on your family. We all thank YOU for getting it right… prioritizing your family first and loving Julie, Peter and Anna so well.
One of Anna’s favorite worship songs was “I Can Only Imagine” (by Mercy Me) a song about what will we do when we arrive in heaven and first see God. Some of the chorus says “will I dance for you Jesus, or in awe of you be still, will I say hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all. I can only imagine.”
Well I think when Anna arrived in heaven she was a bit surprised to be there. I’m guessing she probably sought out St. Peter, cause she knows how to get guys named Peter to do what she wants them to do, and said to him “Are you sure I’m supposed to be here, cause my dad just got season tickets to the Colts, wheelchair accessible, and those are really hard to get! Plus… I never leave home without my dad’s credit card.” Then I imagine she thought to herself, “well as long as I’m here I might as well get to work” and she wandered over to the banquet table and started telling people where to sit and passed out some food. Next, I imagine she went to the softball field. . . “I’m pitching. Peter, you got right field.”
And I know everyone of us, from toddler to grandparent imagined the next moment, and I’m sure it was all those things and more … when Anna sees her Jesus, and He scoops her up in His arms, and the dancing begins…. I can only imagine.
