An Abbynormal Goodbye

Goodbyes are hard to say. Not getting to say goodbye is even harder...

Werner's 75th Birthday Hike

For the last month or two I have felt the need to write to an old friend of mine to thank him for being so kind to me and my kids and he needed to know about the love of Jesus. He needed to know! I had felt it in my knower, you know what I mean. I had put it off, I knew he had vision issues and I had been concerned that he would not be able to read my email or letter. But, I just found that I had his number and I didn’t remember that I had his number until it was to late. I laid in bed last night and cried because I missed an opportunity to tell him how much I appreciated all he had done for us. I know so little about him and his life because I was so busy with my own…

A gift from Werner

I first noticed him back when I was a junior in high school. It was the first big race of the season, the UNLV Cross Country Invitational. He was standing by the entrance to the track near where the race ended. I remember him standing there as I ran past, he wore a funny little hat like the one Gilligan wore on Gilligan’s Island. He spoke encouragement to me with his strange accent. (later I found out that he was Werner Hellmuth from Germany) He said with his fist tight…you can do it…you can do it…and I did, I won by 3-4 seconds. I went on to be undefeated that season and set 11 course records and I remember Werner being at a most of my races. Cheering for me! I saw him at the track club races on Saturdays also. He was always there…in his hat… cheering for me with that German accent.

Then life happened. I grew up, married and had kids, lots of kids, five. I trained off and on between kids but nothing serious. Then in my late 30’s I started training hard again. I sign up for a Mountain trail race and when I climbed inside the shuttle bus I saw an old man in a Gilligan hat sitting there. It was Werner, still running, looking the same as I had remembered him 20 years ago! We talked and I told him that one of my daughters was in high school cross country. He started coming to her races and cheering her on…



Taking photos of flowers.

On Aug. 17, 2001 I got the privilege to join Werner, along with two other ladies, Ernie and Liz on a 20 mile round trip hike to the top of Mount Charleston Peak, 11,916 feet, the highest mountain in the Spring Mountains in NV, to celebrate his 70^th birthday! At the top we surprised him with a cupcake that we lit up with a candle. I remember we all signed the Peak journal with regards to Werner’s 70^th birthday.

 For his 75^th birthday we hike up the Bristlecone trail. He was getting slower, older…

I never learned much about Werner, he was from Germany and went back to visit friends and family often and would send me a postcard. He was never married, he said no woman ever wanted him. That seemed sad to me. Yet he was such a blessing to me and my family.

A Birthday Gift for Natasha from Werner.

 Later as a single mom he took my daughter to the Doctor when I didn’t have insurance and he even gave her his car when she was in college when her old one died. He became like a grandpa and we had him over for dinner and some holidays. When my son started running he even went to a couple of his races.

But, I was busy, too busy with life, work, and survival. Chronic running injuries forced my retirement from running and track club events, kids moved out or left for college. Then I moved out of state.

Postcards from Germany

We stayed in touch through emails and snail mail, mostly just stuff about how the kids are doing. Although as his eyes got bad even those got far between. I have had this urge to write him for a while. I put if off, it was on my check list, then moved to the next check list, then moved again. The Holy Spirit had laid it on my heart to let Werner know about how much Jesus loved him….and how thankful I was for all he did for me and my family….I knew in my knower that I needed to tell him….God knew what Werner was going through and the Holy Spirit was trying to get my attention. Werner knew I was a Christian. But, I had been to busy to ask him what he believed. Always afraid of offending… I understand different now. I know I may be the only believer that some may meet, I have to tell them of God’s love, forgiveness and of Jesus. I have to… even if they reject me!
This hurts, really bad!  Crying…I am sorry, Werner, for that last letter or call from me that you didn’t get. Maybe you would still be here... I am sorry God, that I didn’t recognize your promptings to write and tell him sooner…I was suppose to be there for him.
We have to slow down and remember that people are what really matters, not our stuff or our busy schedule. This life here is short, make that call, write that letter, tell that person how much they have blessed you before it is to late. Eternity is along time to be separated from the ones you love and care about.
RIP...Werner Hellmuth Aug. 17, 1931- Dec. 14, 2016.

Abbynormal Falling---

There are two types of falls in my world... First, there is the type of fall where you are on the dance floor swing dancing hard and fast to an oldies band. When right in the middle of a move you find yourself lying on the dance floor with that look of “what happened”. Of course, it was my shoes fault. You get up take a bow before the group of watchers then you just pretend that nothing happened and you finish your dance. Then there is that “other fall”. Same music, same crowd, same band. You’re dancing hard and fast. Your partner pulls you in, winds you up, sends you out for a spin, then you are suppose to do your turn come back take his hand and move on to the next move. Well this time he pulled me in, wound me up, sent me out, but instead of coming back, I spun like a lop-sided top away from him. It amazes me how your body can be moving at the speed of light yet your brain is moving in slow motion. My brain was telling me that this rope divider next to these tables is not going to stop me, that I am going to go through it and I am going to pull it down with me. Then it tells me that I am going to hit the ground and land on my back then my head is going to fly back and hit something hard. Of course, when it is over, you are lying on your back on the floor with your head on someone’s knee, and there is a divider all around you. Then of course, your first thoughts are I am so glad I wore dance shorts under my dress and when I get home, I am throwing these dance shoes away.

Before trying the more graceful sport of dance I was training hard to be a world class, okay maybe just a really good masters long distance runner ( I can be a little on the dreamy side). I had a few interesting falls during my “career”. One was the type of fall when you are running along the road minding your own business and out of nowhere, your shoe “it’s always the shoes fault” decides to catch a pebble that would take a magnifying glass to see. The next few seconds or milliseconds you find your life passing in front of you as your body contorts itself in ways you never knew it could as it try’s everything it can to avoid the hard ground below you. First your back arches like a gymnast, then your hips go left as your legs do a number from the ballet “Swan Lake”, all the while your arms look like they’re trying to fight off an attack of killer bees.. At the same moment, your knees are cringing because they know this is really going to hurt. Next thing you know you find yourself rolling toward the gutter because cars are coming and people are looking at you as if you are crazy. Kids are asking their parents, mommy, why is that woman rolling across the street? Of course no one stops to ask if you are okay, they are to busy laughing and wishing they had a camera so they could make some money.

Took 3rd in Lindy Dance
Competition