Mikey’s Meadow – Remembering the Man

Well, three weeks following the most amazing evening I’ve ever experienced at Bear Valley Mountain, the Young Family is doing A-ok!  Thanks to all who attended the Celebration of Life on January 30, 2010. What an incredibly overwhelming and moving tribute to Mikey. For all those responsible for this spectacular event - WORDS CANNOT EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE! 

Surprise Meadow Dedication

Mikey’s Family

Tutu & Dan – Friday night warm up

Mikey's Family Tutu & Dan - Friday night warm up

Preparing for Mikey’s Celebration

With the big day approaching this Saturday, Jan 30th me and the kids are getting excited for so many family and friends to come into town for the weekend… it should be wonderful, memorable, and an awesome tribute to an incredible guy that we all love so much!  James was so inspired he went for a new, clean look last night (pic below) and has adopted a fresh new start for 2010… his pops would be happy and proud!  With all this new snow, hoping you are all dusting off the skis/snowboards and getting ready for some fun on the slopes (I had a few good runs in the Pow with Joe Joe, Tyler B and Dan-O last Saturday), or just getting your best Apres Ski Outfit ready for extreme lounging and relaxation in the Lodge . 

T Skiv giving James a New Do

Dan, Joe Joe and Tyler – Polar Express Chair

Looking forward to enjoying time with you all this weekend! 
Praying for Sunshine ~ Andrea

BIG SNOW

Mother Nature is coming down hard on us here in Bear Valley; yesterday alone there was a foot and a half of snow on my car when I headed home from the office – and as forecasted it’s still snowing with depths of up to 10 feet expected in Bear Valley by Friday this week….WOW!

Last Friday was a particularly difficult day for me… my emotions getting the better of me nearly a dozen times off and on throught the day… From seeing old friends/coworkers who I have not yet had the chance to talk and grieve with, to going through Mike’s artwork, drawings and materials at the sign shop where he’d work summers… I am accepting of the fact that there will just be “those days”… The weekend shaped up to be really good; business was strong Sat/Sun and snow conditions really good… We’ve been blessed once again by a wonderfully generous family (Mike coached their son back in the mid 80s) who has

offered their condo in Bear Valley from time to time – so we stayed there this past weekend. This kids love the Village Lifestyle (walking to the Pizza Parlor, going on snowmobile rides and just playing outside). Camille had a couple of girlfriends, A & Brea, spend the night and ski with her Saturday (photo). It was great for me not to drive up and down the hill in the blizzard as well.   I am starting to think I better ask Mikey to help make sure we have a break in this weather for the Celebration weekend Jan 30th… stay tuned!

Celebration of Life (aka-Young’s Polish Christmas)

Joe Joe’s Solar System Project

It’s Jan 13 and me and the kids doing pretty good adjusting to life and our new reality.  School has them all working hard and staying busy, skiing for the boys on most weekend days, and Camille works part time at the Mountain and skis or hangs out with friends in her spare time.  We are all getting excited for a super cool tribute to their Dad – Mikey… the man, the myth, the legend – at Bear Valley on Saturday January 30th.  Friends, co-workers and family are rallying together in assembling the afternoon event that will take place on the Mountain… here’s a link to more details and information.

Thanks for checking in with us – Andrea

A New Year Begins

Fun Times at the Whites in BV Village

Giving Back & Adjusting

At the encouragement of my brother-in-law, I thought sharing ongoing progress of myself and the kids would be healing for us all, and we’ve set a date for the Celebration of Life – Saturday, January 30th, at Bear Valley Mountain! Please plan to join us if you can as we’ve got a team of friends/associates to help plan a very special evening to “Toast” Mikey and his incredible life on the Mountain.

I feel so very strongly that our family has been incredibly blessed, surrounded by giving, caring and concerned family and friends who have gone above and beyond to support Mikey and us all over the past six months that at dinner last night I engaged in the conversation of “HOW CAN WE GIVE BACK” and continue the cycle of kindness to others in need. Each of the kids had great ideas on who and what we could donate to and hopefully make a positive difference in the life of someone else….. Camille suggested a Local Family Money Drive they do at Bret Harte High School where you donate Cash and an administrator works with the County to deliver the money to families in need; James thought donating money to Cancer research would be cool as Mikey’s fight ended as it did, along with so many others who fall to this awful disease each year; and Joe Joe was thinking we could donate our 1997 white Subaru to a kid in his class’s family…. well, the car has over 215,000 miles on it and only 3 of the 5 gears in the transmission actually work (for months Mikey had been talking about either trading it in, or donating it to charity) - it’s sitting at our friends house as Mikey left it there the last time he drove (on one of his trips to be taken to the bay for treatment).  Either way, I am so proud of the kids and their understanding of how although we’ve lost Dad, we’ve also gained so much in terms of kindness, love and support… and that there is real beauty and reward in forwarding that on to others and keep the cycle going!

The kids have provided me with great inspiration as we’ve begun adjusting to life without Mikey… they’ve remained pretty caught up in school, they talk openly about Dad (and let me know the things he used to do “way better than

me”) around the house , we all have our moments of sadness but they pass pretty quickly.  I asked the Social Worker at the kids’ schools to have at least one sit down with each of them just to touch base and get a read on how they are coping, managing and processing life at school… so far, pretty darn good it seems… it’s not easy, but they are getting thru it and I am so proud of each of their STRENGTH!

Joe Joe came with me my first day back at the Mountain. This was huge! He helped me clean out some of Dad’s office, his ski lockers, stuff like that… Very emotional but theraputic at the same time. We know that although the Mountain will be different without Dad there, it will eventually become a “happy place” for us all again as it’s the lifestyle Mikey and I chose for our family 20 years ago.

It’s so great to still hear from you all! And in fact, I have received emails comments from some very old friends, and I love it! Keep em coming and we’ll post more info on the Jan 30 event in the weeks ahead!

Andrea

Prayer of Snow Delivered

Our family held a memorial mass at the St. Patrick’s Church in Murphys last Saturday. The Youngs, Archers and Fanoes, along with local “family” joined Mikey’s relatives in this spectacular historic Catholic Church and prayed for the repose of Mikey’s soul!  As Mikey would have it, we included a prayer for a “bountiful winter” (thanks Joe Clima) and next thing you know a spectacular storm moved in bringing a foot and a half of snow to Arnold, and even snow as low as Stockton, Mt. Diablo and beyond…. not to mention nearly 3 feet at Bear Valley Mountain.  Monday was an official SNOW DAY as all schools were closed. Until the lifts open, our boys are rippin it up in their backyard terrain park – thanks uncle Dan!   Mikey is smiling big right now!

Resting In Peace

Mikey passed away in a peaceful sleep, our hands embraced, Saturday Nov 28 at 10:21pm in Danville, CA.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE ONGOING LOVE, SUPPORT AND WELL WISHES… OUR FAMILY IS STRENGTHENED BY INCREDIBLE MEMORIES OF MIKEY, ALONG WITH THE OUTPOURING OF ENCOURAGEMENT FROM EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU!

We are planning a family memorial mass in the short-term… However, will be working on Celebration of Life Event (Mikey style) to be held at Bear Valley Mountain (in January sometime in commemoration of Polish Christmas – a Young family tradition), and hope that you will be able to join us to remember, toast and share stories of the wonderful times with Mikey.

We will keep you posted here. Much love and peace ~ Andrea

PAIN & GRATITUDE

Today was the most painful day of my life; My mom guided us thru talking with the kids about the potential reality that Dad’s condition is progressing and that, although he continues to fight, take the experimental drug (and every other treatment option the doctors have prescribed) sometimes cancer just does not respond and our bodies lose the battle.  They now know we just don’t know how much time their Dad has left with us.  Together me, Camille, James and Joe Joe all cried and managed thru the excrutiating pain to even think about life without Dad.  My mom, a 25 year hospice nurse, helped us by calling in a nurse friend of hers to assess Mikey and provide relief where needed. We are all together, along with family, and are at Mikey’s side at his brother’s house in Danville… we are a couple miles from the Crow Canyon Country Club where we were married 17 1/2 years ago. I took Camille there today and showed her around and recounted one of the joyous days of our life.   In talking with the kids, they have to grieve of the enormous potential loss, but I also try to remind them of the EVEN GREATER FORTUNE THEY’VE HAD WITH MIKEY AS THEIR DAD;  and encourage them to be thankful for the fact that each one of them are, and have always been, EVERYTHING to Mikey since the day they were born!

As I know how tough Mikey is, the chance of things making a turn for the better is still there (and what a joy it would be to get to write about this kind of miracle event) however, I aam taking every precious moment to tell Mikey how grateful I am for the 22 years he’s been my best friend, husband, teacher, in-house comedian, debate partner, co-worker and center of my world.  We are truly blessed with each other, our amazing children, eclectic and super awesome circle of friends and most importantly A FAMILY LIKE NO OTHER that makes life so incredibly rewarding.  Mikey and I have talked about this over the last 5 months… ”we’ve had it dialed, happiness, love, friendship, passion for skiing/the mountains, careers we thrive on, a beautiful place to call home and 3 children each unique and different and remarkable that make us so proud.”  We are both so grateful for what we have and that brings a little peace to our hearts during this time.

As I am unsure what each new day will bring and become a bit more emotionally  drained, we may be checking out for a while.  Please know that you have been a tremendous source of strength, encouragement, support and love for me and Mikey and for that we are eternally grateful.      Love feeds the soul!   Andrea

WHEW!

It’s 11:00am and Mikey has had the first dose of the Phase 1 Trial of GSK2126458. WHEW- AGAIN I AM IN AWE!

This has been a difficult road to be here; it’s a miracle in and of itself that he is at USCF and on the new experimental chemotharapy regimen today. His sisters DD and Karen, and brother John, have been absolutley incredible and with us each and every day to keep Mikey (and me) going!  Upon arriving to be back with Mike again yesterday (after only being gone a day and a half), it became more apparent that the disease is progressing rapidly inside his body – THAT’S WHAT CANCER DOES – AND MELANOMA IS PARTICULARLY NASTY – anyway, Mikey tolerated me asking him to get water down, he drank the shake I made, got up and took a shower (cause I thought that might make him feel a little bit better), ate the scrambled egg I made him for dinner and let me massage his back, feet and legs (they ache a lot). Yesterday was the first time we’ve had to move toward a “real” pain medication for Mikey, cause his nights have become a bit more restless in the last 5-7 days.  

Honestly, I felt there was a 50/50 chance that they may not accept Mikey this morning when we arrived due to the changes that have happened with his fatigue and stability over the past 5 days.  This morning we made it to the 6th Floor at UCSF, checked in, got the blood work and vitals signs we needed to qualify, and the nurse got things underway.  Once again, today there is still hope.

From beautiful SF, much love!    Andrea