Mom's Memorial

On Saturday, September 25,2010, mom peacefully passed to her Rainbow Bridge to be with Dad, her wonderful cousins Nancy and Bob Jenkins, her parents and of course, all her golden retrievers, horses, cats and misc. animals she has mothered. She is so missed, already. Love you mom, you are without pain now, and at peace. Her online Memorial and tribute page is HERE with memorials to go to Nash's Buddy Walk team, in her honor.

Rest in Peace John Mark Stallings

Tuscaloosa News Archive Photo John Mark Stallings, son of former University of Alabama head football coach Gene Stallings, died this morning. John Mark Stallings' health was fragile for years from coping with a congenital heart defect.John Mark Stallings, who had Down syndrome, turned 46 years old on June 11. He lived with Gene Stallings on the family’s ranch in Powderly, Texas, near Paris. His health was fragile for years from coping with a congenital heart defect. “I’ve known John Mark Stallings his entire life,” said Mal Moore, Alabama’s director of athletics. “I want to extend my deepest sympathy to Coach Stallings, Ruth Ann and the entire Stallings family. For someone who never played or coached a game, I think John Mark may have touched more Alabama fans than any other person ever did. I would like to thank the Stallings family for sharing their love for John Mark with all of us.” Ruth Ann Stallings, John Mark’s father, discussed what it was like to raise a child with Down syndrome at the time, in the book “Another Season: A Coach’s Story of Raising an Exceptional Son,” with Gene Stallings co-authored with writer Sally Cook: “Things were different back then. People didn’t know how to react to the news,” Ruth Ann Stallings said. “Some didn’t acknowledge his existence; others would look away in his presence. I’d dress him so cute, his blonde hair shining, blue eyes so excited when he’d meet someone. Often, they’d compliment the girls, never looking his way.” She sighs. “You remember the people who stepped forward and those who didn’t.” Funeral arrangements for John Mark Stallings are pending. For a wonderful tribute by BigDawg, click HERE. Rest in Peace John Mark. Roll Tide will never be the same.

NDSC and NDSS Condemn Baghdad Bombings

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 1, 2008 CONTACT: David Tolleson Jon Colman National Down Syndrome Congress National Down Syndrome Society 770/604-9500 212/763-4371 The National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC) and the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) condemned the use of individuals with Down syndrome by terrorists following dual bombings in Baghdad Friday. According to news reports, terrorists used remote-controlled explosives attached to two women with Down syndrome to kill at least 73 people. Responding to news of the attack, NDSC Executive Director David Tolleson said, “this tragedy is compounded by the terrorist’s vicious exploitation of individuals with Down syndrome.” NDSS President Jon Colman agreed, noting that “this was not a suicide attack, these women were murdered, as surely as the other victims.” This is not the first time individuals with Down syndrome have been used by terrorists in such deadly attacks in Iraq. On January 31, 2005, an explosive device tied to a boy with Down syndrome was exploded in Baghdad, in an act condemned at the time by NDSC and NDSS and others around the world. Both the National Down Syndrome Society and the National Down Syndrome Congress urge the Iraqi government to use every available method to end the abuse of individuals with Down syndrome and to use this tragedy as a catalyst to enact and uphold policies and laws that will protect the basic human and civil rights of all individuals with disabilities

It was such a sad day...week

This week a woman lost her husband and her son. Her husband shot and killed their son, and then killed himself. The grief is overwhelming as you can imagine, and my best friend from high school lost her brother, and nephew. Too many losses with no real answers. Pain that is overwhelming. I went to the double funeral and hugged my friend who lost her last brother as well as her nephew, hugged my friends mom who lost yet another son (she lost her oldest to cancer three years ago) and now her grandson, and it was overwhelming. I hugged my husband and son a bit closer today.