photo #3742276

Morning all. Normally, I don't get too personal here or anywhere for that matter, but this is the gift Ally got me for Valentine's Day yesterday. I just had to share... It's a portrait of (from L to R) myself, my dad, Rocky, Kane, my mother and Ally... When Ally and I met in 2021, my mom was recovering from a stroke. Ally is a Registered Nurse and offered help, knowledge and comfort. Over the past year, mom's health has significantly declined with her being hospitalized several times, and upon her last release home, she fell and broke her jaw in 2 places with her jawbone penetrating her ear. This happened the day of an event we sponsored to honor Lara Logan and Wendy Bell for journalism excellence. Mom was diagnosed with slight dementia at the end of 2022 and just this past week, it went from slight to moderate / advanced. I think this picture is absolutely amazing as it encompasses all of us in our true, current likeness, but with Mom, she's youthful, vibrant and beautiful; just how she'd want to be remembered and deserves to be remembered. This is how I will always remember her. I don't know if that was Ally's plan but it fits perfectly. Thanks Ally, for the amazing gift and all you do to make life easier, better and full of light even in the darkest of times.The thanks also extends to my Wimkin family. Developing, running and growing any social media is a daunting task with nearly a 0% longterm success rate. Add free speech into these harsh elements, and it becomes nearly impossible as everyone becomes your enemy overnight and do all they can to hurt you in a sinister collective. Suddenly losing our first ever Administrator (Eileen) at the end of 2022, Sascha (our network administrator and lead developer) losing his father last week after a long illness, and my own parents health has made things much harder but really puts into perspective what is truly most important in life: something never fully forgotten but sometimes moved aside by work. This picture will help me never have the most important aspects of life pushed aside ever again. Wimkin family, you also provide me with hope, confidence and the will to push forward EVERY SINGLE DAY. I'm eternally grateful. Thank you!