Reader,

Tomorrow marks the fourth anniversary of the death of our family friend, Suzanne. She died unexpectedly of a brain aneurysm at age 53.

Suzanne and her husband, Martin, were missionaries in Asia for eleven years.

I miss her.

A few weeks ago, Martin sent me a film clip from a TV newscast that interviewed the two people who received Suzanne’s heart and lungs after she died.

Click here to watch it. Even in death, Suzanne gave of herself so that two other people might live.

I devoted two podcast episodes to the events surrounding Suzanne’s death back when it happened and what I experienced with her husband, Martin, afterward.

In 071: How to Help a Grieving Friend, I include a letter Suzanne’s 17-year-old daughter Serena wrote shortly after her mom died. It was directed to the hospital’s medical staff and the yet-unknown recipients of her mother’s organs. It’s quite moving, and it’s where I got the title for this post.


072: What I Learned From a Grieving Friend describes four things I learned about grief in relating with Martin after Suzanne’s death. One of which I’m pretty sure you’ve never thought about. The other three, maybe.

Until next week, I wish you all the joy that you can wish.*

John Certalic

You Were Made for This is the podcast sponsored by Caring for Others, a missionary care ministry.

* The Merchant of Venice, Act III, scene 2