Ericka Holman Leaves a Legacy to Her Children From Her Heart

-
The Holman Children, one-year-old Christina (left) and three-year-old Charrise. Ericka will be remembered by her kids through the heirlooms such as Ericka's voice in their teddy bears, messages from their mother in personalized books, and her thumbprint and inscription on the silver necklaces shown below.

"So we have been faced with this cancer. We are 
not defined by it, we are no less blessed, but we 
are more than conquerors. We have a God who 
loves us. He brings peace when we are in pain, 
He brings strength when we feel like we can't 
make it! God is our very present help in our 
time of great need. God has eternity under 
control!" - Ericka Holman

Ericka and her husband Chris were both attending the International Gospel Church in Ecorse when Ericka’s godmother set them up on a blind date. They fell in love, and married on June 7, 2014. In 2015, they brought their first little girl, Charrise, into the world and the following year, the second girl, Christina, was born.

Before the girls came along, Ericka was a private home care assistant. She cared for a woman with dementia. The only person this woman would talk to was Ericka — and that says a lot about Ericka’s loving, kind, selfless personality.

When the girls arrived, the Holman’s had plans for their family — taking the kids on vacation, maybe to Disney World — but fate had other plans for Ericka.

Ericka began to notice symptoms, a small lump on her breast. She thought it had something to do with childbirth, even though her Grandmother had breast cancer that was non-life-threatening. When Ericka’s legs became swollen, Chris had to take care of the children and Ericka as well because she could hardly walk. One evening at home she almost fell, and Chris took her to the hospital. That was in August of 2017. By October she recieved a diagnosis of terminal breast cancer. She was just 37 years old.

Ericka came to the Angela Hospice Care Center late in October and remained there until her death in December. Right after admission, our volunteer department, with
volunteer coordinator Melayna Morio taking the lead, started on planning the legacy Ericka would leave for her children.

Together, Ericka and Melayna used voice-enabled teddy bears and personalized books to leave messages for the children to hear throughout their lives. They also took Ericka’s thumbprint and put it on a silver pendant for each of the girls and Chris, with a message of love.

Anyone who knew Ericka, however briefly, could see that she was a woman of great faith in God. She never blamed anyone for her fate and never doubted that God would take care of everything.

Ericka died knowing that she was leaving something for her children to remember her by, and knowing that they would always be held in the hands of the Lord.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Room for Brian

-
Image
   Angela Hospice's donor-supported Care Center     provided Brian with the care he needed -- and        brought his family peace of mind. The Angela Hospice Care Center has always been a community-driven labor of love. From its construction in the early 1990s; to its expansion a decade and a half later; and right through to the present, where day-to-day operations are supported by the generosity of donors and friends – the Care Center is a rare and valuable community resource made possible by Angela Hospice’s caring supporters. It’s also a godsend for families like the Wilson’s. When their son came to stay with them over Christmas last year, the brain tumor he had been determined to fight for nearly 11 years began to overcome him. At 30 years old, Brian was 6’2” and his disease had progressed to the point that he could no longer walk on his own. How would his parents take care of him in their home that was not wheelchair accessible? The Angela Hospice Care Center prov
Read more

Volunteer Spotlight: Ingrid Lasley

-
Image
Name: Ingrid Lasley How long have you been a volunteer? I started volunteering about 2 ½ years ago. What areas do you work in/what sort of tasks do you do as a volunteer? I cover the receptionist desk for lunch hours, which includes telephone calls. I have covered Tree of Life shifts for the past 2 years and plan to volunteer again this season. I also have been involved in numerous mailings and last year’s Walk of Remembrance. What made you decide to become a volunteer? I stopped working a few years ago and decided I could use my spare time best by volunteering. I am enjoying every minute! Why Angela Hospice? Ingrid with fellow volunteer Geri Orlowski My mother passed away in 2012 in Buffalo, NY, and after witnessing the treatment my mother received at a hospice facility there, I knew I wanted to be part of such a kind and caring group. What is your favorite part about volunteering? I have enjoyed meeting so many people who have demonstrated so many ways one can g
Read more

Detroit Catholic Central Moms Celebrate Hospice Workers During COVID-19

-
Image
A group of Detroit Catholic Central High School moms decided they wanted to do something special for our clinical staff, who have been working so hard in the midst of this stressful COVID-19 health crisis. The women coordinated with nurse Kelly Campbell, Home Care Clinical Supervisor for Angela Hospice, whose son recently graduated from Catholic Central. On Wednesday, the group set up 40 handmade signs outside our Care Center facility and along the driveway, to encourage and cheer our healthcare workers. They also tied big white ribbons around the trees to show support for front-line medical staff. Helen Balmforth, Angela Hospice Development and Special Events Manager, related that some staff members teared up when they saw what the Catholic Central moms had done. “I think, for some, it’s an emotional release to see that,” Helen explained. “I think it has a real impact on people.” The group also brought two large cases of toilet paper. Each roll is individually wrapped so staff
Read more