Jackson Jambalaya

In some ways it's hard to believe 4 months have passed since my daughter Heather, left this earth. No more daily phone calls to hear her voice, no text messages to and from, no emails...nothing. When I think back to that day on 9/11/07 when I got the call, it feels surreal, a nightmare. I wonder where I've been the last four months. Things seem to drift in and out of reality and the daily tasks I force myself to do...get out of bed, put my feet on the floor, go to my job, carry on with my life... things I must do and still, nothing has changed. My beautiful daughter is still gone, my pain is still deep and I'm left with only precious memories and photos in my mind, at home, in my wallet, on my desk, my keychain...everywhere I can put them.

Xan, her brother, and I watched the last video I have of her from Christmas 2006. It was bittersweet. We needed to hear her voice and see her, alive again. That beautiful smile, her laugh, watching her excitement over her gifts she gave and received. One gift in particular, was so special to her. Since I had moved to northern Michigan the year before, I had picked one beautiful tree to photograph for her since she loved trees. Every season...Winter, Spring, Summer & Fall, I would go back to that tree and stand in the same spot and take a picture. I had them framed and gave it to her. It brought tears to her eyes and to mine as she opened the gift and told me it the best gift she had ever gotten because I had done this just for her every season for a whole year and it meant so much. When I recently got the picture from her house, I realized the irony of it. Out of all the trees I could have photographed, I picked one in a cemetery. Now she is buried under a tree in Jackson and the picture is hanging in my house.

I pray every night for justice and that Heather will never be forgotten. I know her spirit lives on in those that love and miss her and that we'll see her again one day. We go on because Heather would want us to and because we have others who love us and need us and whom we love and need as well. But every minute of every day she is on our minds and in our hearts and we miss her so very badly. My family and I want to take this time to thank everyone who has supported us in so many ways. Your overwhelming love will always be remembered. Whether it was a phone call, a card, flowers, visits, food, helping to move things out of her house, prayers or a monetary donation, we could not have survived thus far without you. Please continue to remember our beautiful girl and the bright soul we had taken from us and continue to keep us in your prayers.

The wheels of justice are beginning to turn. George Bell III will be on trial Jan. 23rd for the June incident when he attacked her. Other charges have been placed against him as well and he will be tried for them in the near future. If you can attend any of the court proceedings please do so in Heather's honor.

God bless you all,
Linda Francomb

Note: Mrs. Francomb is the mother of Mary Heather Spencer. If you would like to contact her, send email to kingfish1935@gmail.com. For other posts by Mrs. Francomb, see the sidebar on the bottom right-hand side of this page.