We Lost a Euchre Player, and Tammy Lost Her Mom
Many of you may have met one of our newer members, Tammy Rozewski. She joined us at the end of October. Eager to find her place, Tammy quickly became part of the group. She played in Waterford, Rochester, Keego Harbor, Clarkston, and Lake Orion, often bringing others with her. She even won a few times.
At the end of November, Tammy brought her mom, Julie Rozewski, to Clarkston. Since they were coming from Lapeer, they were very happy when we started playing in Lake Orion, and that became their home location. Tammy and her mom Julie became my “rock,” attending every single week until today.
Tammy called me today to let me know she would be missing because her mom, Julie, just passed away. Julie apparently did not realize she had pneumonia. This broke my heart.
When I first met Julie, she had a fairly serious demeanor. But over the last several weeks, I started to see her smile come through more and more. I will probably never forget the joy on her face when she got her first weekly win just two weeks ago. She is wearing bright blue in the picture, with her proud daughter Tammy standing next to her.
Seeing moments like that is what drives me to work so hard on Darby Connections. We truly have an incredible group. All of us carry struggles in life, but this group gives people a safe place where they can come, feel accepted, and know they belong. Thank you all for being so welcoming and caring. It makes a much bigger impact than you may realize.
There are times when I get discouraged trying to make Darby Connections work and feel like giving up. Then, out of nowhere, someone reaches out to thank me for creating a group that gave them a home. That reminds me why this matters and pushes me right back to work.
Tammy sent me a very heartfelt message thanking me for giving her mom a life-changing place to go. She wrote:
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You don’t know how much your events change people’s lives, and I want you to know that. It’s not said enough. People are so closed off in the world, and you give them a safe place to feel belonging, that people care, that they are loved, and that they have a place on this earth when they feel a lack of purpose and alone.”
Thank you, Tammy. But I could never do this without everyone else in our group who welcomes strangers, works through people’s struggles, and helps make them feel loved.
I do not have the funeral details yet, but Tammy has limited means. The funeral and cremation will cost $1,600. If you would like to contribute, you can do so at the link below with credit card, Venmo or PayPal.
https://darbyconnections.com/products/1347
Please keep Tammy in your prayers. And thank you, Tammy, for giving us the opportunity to know your mother.
Jimmy Darbyshire
I do not have the funeral details yet, but Tammy has limited means. The funeral and cremation will cost $1,600. If you would like to contribute, you can do so at the link below with credit card, Venmo or PayPal.
https://darbyconnections.com/products/1347
Please keep Tammy in your prayers. And thank you, Tammy, for giving us the opportunity to know your mother.
Jimmy Darbyshire