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It’s taken me weeks to even find the strength to post this. On March 31st, 2025, my mother, Melinda Gale Howard, passed away after an agonizing battle with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. She was only 49 years old. She took her final breath with my arm wrapped around hers. I heard her last words that morning before she slept for the last time. I witnessed every painful step of her decline — from the first week of her diagnosis to the very last night/morning. I watched the cancer strip away the strongest woman I’ve ever known, day by day… but even in her final moments, surrounded by family, she gave us everything she had left after only 2 days in hospice care. She died with grace, dignity, and love. She died a lover AND a fighter — just as she lived 💜 The trauma of watching your mother fade from vibrant life into silence is something I wouldn’t wish on anyone. But it’s also something I’ll never run from or forget. Because in her pain, I saw so much courage. In her suffering, I saw her fight with EVERYTHING she had. And in her final breath, I felt the love and warmth in her arm before she went cold. This is all deeper than any sequence of words could ever describe 😮‍💨 She was my best friend, as I was hers. She was my safe place and my biggest supporter. I’m still trying to wrap my head around a world without my MOMMA 😔 I’d be lying if I said I was okay right now. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t completely DEVASTATED 😣 If you knew her… then you knew how special she was to this world of ours. She gave selflessly. Loved deeply. Fought fiercely. She was artistic, brilliant, resilient, and kind beyond reason. She raised three amazing kids, cared for countless patients as a nurse, and still made time to dream, to hope, and to help others… even when she needed help and had nothing left herself. We’ve created a GoFundMe in her memory — not just to help cover the costs of her final arrangements, but to help me, my brother, and my sister stabilize our lives in the aftermath of this tragic loss. This isn’t about the money — it’s about finding space to heal, honoring her legacy, giving back to the PanCan community (10% of all donations), and rebuilding after unimaginable pain. If you feel the want or need to contribute, then here’s the link so you can support me and my family in Melindas name: gofund.me/1bd162a7 If you can’t donate, please share her name, share this post, or say a prayer. Encourage someone. Hug someone. Forgive someone. LOVE someone — all while you still can. Tag someone who needs to be reminded how short life really is. Time is fragile ⏳ Life is short 💜 Momma, I hope you’re reading this from somewhere beautiful, miss lady 🌌 I’ll carry your light until my last breath. Like I promised you that dreadful morning while you fought one last time… I will NEVER let you go Momma 🙏🏼 I love you forever and always, for a billion years times a googolplex 🥹😘 Rest in peace, beautiful 🦋🌅 💜 Melinda Howard 💜 09/15/1975 - 03/31/2025