May Brightspirit live on
April 28th, 2008 by Kathleen Bolton
Last week we blogged about Emmy Cherry, an eleven-year-old girl tragically killed when a tornado ripped through her home in Arkansas. Emmy was a big fan of former WU contributor Victoria Holmes‘ massive YA bestselling series WARRIORS, which she conceptualized.
I’d been thinking about Emmy all week, as I have a daughter her age who loves books as much as Emmy did. About fate, for one thing. And about loving stories so fiercely they almost seem real. How that love can transform others.
As many of you know, Vicky is honoring Emmy in the next Warrior’s story by creating the character of Brightspirit, who will be Emmy in the book.
Lynn Wiman of Vintage Books, the bookstore owner who first reached out to Vicky to alert her to Emmy, shared with us this story about Emmy’s grandfather Jim.
I wanted to share it with you.
“Jim, Emmy’s Grandfather has dealt with this very silently. He has not wanted to hear about her (Emmy) being in the books, he has not wanted to hear about the Warriors. Even when Emmy came to the store every week, he would wait in the truck outside for hours for her. He loved Emmy but he did not like books, and thought it was silliness. Last week, Kay and Elaine invited my husband and me to dinner, and Kay insisted that he come. At dinner he just listened.
“But at the end of dinner he asked me “Lynn, can I come and get you on Sunday and take you out to see the homeplace where Emmy died?” I was so surprised. Yesterday he came and got us and we went out there. We walked around picking up coins and toys, and such for four hours. We found a little frame that is a cat, and a little toy cat that is the color of Fireheart. He gave them to me. And he said, “This week, Kay (Emmy’s grandmother) was talking about someone who was falsely accused of something, and run out of her family, and another family accepted her in.” I was shocked. I listened to this heartbreaking story, and about an hour later I realized that Kay was talking about an imaginary cat, named Yellow Fang. I was so glad to hear that it was a character in Emmy’s books. And, Lynn, I said I didn’t want to hear about it….but, I’m listening.”
Stories do have the power to heal.
If you can, please help. Donate.
The snailmail address is:
Warriors Relief Fund
c/o Kay Cherry
3439 SR 326
Russellville, AR 72802
Photo by Princess Nyree.
Her presence, even in death, has the power to change people’s hearts.