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Family appreciates community support

From left: Tica Clarke, Denvir Clarke, Lucas Perlstein, Benjamin Clarke, Haley Clarke and Simon Clarke.

By Tica Clarke

I wanted to take a moment to thank and compliment our community for their abundance of love, compassion and support in response to the back-to-back tragedies our family has experienced. With the sudden loss of my husband, Simon Clarke, the outpouring of love and support for me and my children Denvir, Haley and Ben far exceeded our expectations. The warmth, caring, assistance and constant reassurance has helped us to cope with the sadness we are experiencing.

And with the recent loss of our daughter Haley, our family was again devastated. Our community as a whole rallied together with the full force of support and showed us the power of love. We have been so completely humbled and grateful. Each and every phone call, note, flower and comment has made a tremendous difference in our lives. It has helped us to have hope, realize we are not alone and know there are others who care.

There are so many people who deserve to be thanked personally for their tireless efforts supporting our family. I wanted to list each individual person who has been here for us but was afraid that because of the emotional state of this situation, someone would have been left out, and because of the number of wonderful people in our lives, this list would take up an entire page.

I would, however, like to thank my darling daughter, Denvir. I can’t express the amount of love I have for you. Your tireless strength during the passing of your father, and your dedication and determination to give Haley every chance to be here with us only shows the enormous amount of love you both shared. I am so very proud of everything you have done to honor your father and sister.

Lucas, your incredible love and support for Denvir and our family has not gone unnoticed. Thank you for being the strength and love you are.

Ben, you went from a boy to a man right before my eyes, understanding and supporting us as a family even as you were grieving. This has not gone unnoticed. You personally gave your strength to your father to give him every opportunity to continue to be here with us. You have experienced some of the worst events in a person’s life and still show great love. I am proud of you.

Brianna, you have shown a maturity much greater than your years. Your ability to organize, jump in and love is stunning. Thank you for being you.

We are eternally grateful to the nurse who coordinated Haley’s CPR, the La Plata Search & Rescue, Durango Fire Protection District and San Juan County Sheriff’s Office for their compassion and care. You are not recognized or appreciated enough for your valiant efforts. We appreciate that you put your lives in danger to save ours on a daily basis. To see each of you at Haley’s memorial made my heart swell. I appreciated the opportunity to personally thank each of you. There are not words to express how your decision to be in this profession affects others. Serious Texas Bar-B-Q, what could I possibly say? During a time of unexpected tragedy, you were right there to lend help, support and everything we needed to honor Haley. Our family is grateful for your love and support during a much needed time.

To Haley’s closest and dearest friends who were there during and after this event, I know you were tireless in your efforts to help her. Please remember all of the fun you had earlier that day and know that you are all amazing and loved. Don’t let this event overshadow any of the good memories you all shared.

At a time when we were unable to comprehend one moment from the next, you all showed how wonderful you are. While you were grieving for someone you loved, you astonished us with your devotion, tenderness and kindness.

I am eternally indebted to my friends who have shown up daily to check on us. No words can express how important each call, visit or meal has been. Each of you has gone above and beyond.

All I can say is that I am proud to live in this community. We have lived all over the world, and there is no place we have been that compares to here, no better place to be or better people to know. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to the tops of our mountains.

Tica Clarke is writing on behalf of the Clarke family. She is a resident of Bayfield.



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