This is the story of a mom's third baby growing up. The happy experience changed in a second!!
Diamond Natasha Demianycz
Natasha was born on November 21, 1988. She grew up in the small farming town
of Windsor, Colorado where she was born and lived her entire life.
I always called her my "love baby". She never disappointed me in this, as she was always full of so much love for everbody, particularly her family. She was full of curiosity and energy for learning. The youngest by far of her brother Lucas, now seventeen and sister Mariah, now nineteen she was Momma's Little Princess. She had a love for life, all of God's gentler creatures, had an extremely compassionate soul, and was happy with all of God's gifts He bestowed upon her.
As a little girl she enjoyed "playing" my old Hammond Chord Organ and by the time she was nine years old had taught herself to play the piano her father had bought
for her. She loved music and always had a song in her heart. Every year of her school days life she was a member of her class choir; from preschool through seventh grade she enjoyed singing in the angel-like voice God had given her. It touched my heart that the seventh grade choir had wanted to sing at her Memorial service but it was too difficult of a time for them. Through my work at the University of Northern Colorado I was able to invite all fifty-eight members of her choir to join
us for our Holiday Event. Her choir director Christie had told me it was in the children's hearts to come so that they could sing to Natasha. I think instead she
sang with them, as I know I heard her voice rise above all of theirs. Many of the children came to me that evening asking to hug me or telling me they needed to be hugged. I contribute this in part to the fact that Natasha carried my looks so much, but also to the fact that the children were grateful to have an opportunity to be with Natasha that night. Even her choir director came to me with tears in her eyes hugging me and thanking me for the opportunity. I shared with her I would like to make this an annual event, even after Natasha's class is graduated...in Natasha's memory.
Natasha loved animals of all kinds, kittens being her favorite. She also shared a special love with her Momma's Dalmatian dog Missy. The last time I was with her
she had come over and was out in the yard on the farm urging one of the barn kittens with a piece of bologna. None of us could ever get the young creature to come close. Before the end of the day Natasha had the kitten eating out of her hand. She was carrying it and petting it, and it followed her everywhere. I feel the kitten is
a special gift from Natasha. "Diamond" (the name we gave the kitten after the accident) has now become a member of our family.
Natasha also played on the Windsor Girls T-Ball summer leagues and then advanced to the Girl's Softball summer leagues. Her father and brother being avid baseball fans; she was excited to learn how to play the sport with her father and brother's help.
One of Natasha's passions in life was reading. From the time she was an infant
much time was always spent reading, reading and reading to her. Her love for literature was so intense that Lucas and Mariah were also involved in reading to her when they were a bit older. She just couldn't get enough. She would be content to read all day long, even shutting off television to just sit and read. Her father also
lives in the country about five miles outside of town. Many, many times Natasha would ride her bicycle all the way into town on dirt roads to go to the library to check out more books and then ride her bike all the way back home to immediately dive
into a new story. Even if it were only a ten-minute trip somewhere, Natasha always had a book in her hand.
She enjoyed fantasy books as well as mysteries but she had even read books that were high school level and higher "Just to read them" she said. Among her favorite authors were Tamora Pierce and Agatha Christy. Mariah and Lucas felt it was important to make sure Natasha took her favorite book by Tamora Pierce along
with her for her journey into her new life with God.
Some of my favorite memories spent with my Little Princess were watching Disney movies together. How she loved all of those special videos. We would cuddle up next to each other on the couch and spend the afternoon or evening engrossed together in the magical lands. Another very special movie we spent together watching over and over was Titanic, and of course she had a major crush on Leonardo DeCaprio.
The last three years of her life, Natasha became very interested in astronomy. Her father gave her a telescope for her tenth birthday. She would spend hours just starring into the night sky through it. She knew all of the constellations by heart
and exactly where to find them at what time of year. At the beginning of sixth grade Natasha had decided she wanted to become an astronomer when she grew up and studied all she could find regarding the subject.
Needless to say Natasha was also an excellent student. She was an "A" student whom excelled in all subjects. Her teachers only ever had praise for her on a personal as well as scholastic note. Never once in her life was there any concern
for her scholastic or personal development; she was an outstanding student
enriched further with every one wanting to be her friend.
Natasha had also worked as a volunteer at the local General Store in Windsor for over a year. There she would help serve customers from the old fashioned soda fountain, ring up sales, and walk and care for the owner's dog. She also volunteered time working with a farmer's market in Windsor.
There was something so special about Natasha; it is hard to put into words her compassionate nature. A story I will share depicts her unconditional love that God gave to her as a unique gift to share with all of us young and old. One day this past summer that my children came and spent the whole day and evening with me we
had a wonderful day. We would spend so much time talking and sharing. Our lives, events, memories...
There was a day Natasha had planned on coming over to see me but a friend had come over unexpectedly and ended up spending the night so Natasha wasn't able to come over. Lucas had interrupted her and said something about the girl not even being one of her friends. Natasha had replied with "She wanted to come over and play because she likes me." (The little girl had come home on the school bus with Natasha after school). Lucas then said, "Then why did you ask her to spend the night?" Natasha said "...because she wanted to spend more time with me." Her brother then said, "...but you don't even like her, I don't get it. Why would you spend more time with her?" Natasha replied, "Because she likes me, she doesn't have any friends, it was the right thing to do." How many children do you know that are wiling to sacrifice their free time with someone that isn't exactly their friend just to make
that other person feel cared about? That is an insight as to how my Little Princess was and what she was all about. Always giving of herself first, not thinking of her own needs but what was important for others.
A personal pride in life that Natasha and I both shared was how much we looked alike. People would always tell her they could tell who her Momma was. It is comforting to me that not only did she share my looks and even my voice, but so many similarities in personality and interests that it is almost as though she were a clone of myself. Everything about Natasha is what I had been at her age. We even shared the same favorite color...blue.
On August 23, 2001 our lives would forever be changed. It was the second day of
the new school year. As usual during the school year, Natasha walked after school to the General Store for her volunteer shift. Full of life and excitement over her eventful day she ended her shift and walked across the "Bricks Memorial", where
her name now forever is engraved, to get into her sister Mariah's car to go home.
This would be Mariah's first year of college and she had accepted a scholarship to a community college in the Denver area. Her father had helped her to finance a home and she was very excited about fixing it up and living on her own for the very first time. Natasha and Mariah were very close considering the seven years that separated their ages. At times I feel it was due in part to Mariah being surrogate mother at their father's house.
They decided to take some quality sister time together as Mariah would be moving away in eleven days. On the way home before 7:00 PM they decided to drive
through some of the new residential areas in Water Valley and look at houses
trying to get ideas for Mariah's house.
For some reason that day neither one of my girls were wearing their seat belts. I don't understand this as they automatically did. They wouldn't even let me ride in
the car without putting one on. That day they didn't.
Driving at approximately 25 mph or less the girls were looking at houses to their left. Mariah turned briefly to look at one when she impacted the rear end of a commercial, construction bobcat trailer parked too far out into the street. The car struck the bobcat on the passenger side where Natasha was sitting. Upon collision Natasha
hit the windshield with great force suffering severe internal head injuries. Mariah
said Natasha had put her hands up on the windshield trying to catch herself but unsuccessfully falling into an unconscious state upon impact. She also cut her
chin from the force.
Mariah tried desperately to help her sister then ran across the street to the first house. They had heard the collision and already called 911. Mariah ran back to her sister trying to help her and the police and ambulance arrived. They were on their way back from a call one street over and were there in less than five minutes.
They rushed my unconscious Little Princess to the hospital in Greeley ten miles away. Mariah was also taken to the hospital in another ambulance but incurred
only a minor injury; a bruise on her knee that hit the dashboard. Lucas had arrived on the scene in time to ride with Mariah in the ambulance. Their father was at work as was I.
At the hospital Lucas saw them putting Natasha on the Flight for Life helicopter and heard the paramedics saying she was too cold, they didn't think she was going to make it. They flew her to Denver Children's Hospital a hundred miles away. Their father arrived at the hospital and they rushed down to Denver. Her father was allowed to go in and see her although she never woke up. The impact had been too intense and her brain began to swell so rapidly it slowly shut down her vital organs. God took Natasha home with Him three hours after the accident.
I had gotten home from work around 9:00 PM that night. Never knowing anything was amiss or the heartbreak that was about to shatter my life in a matter of hours. I went online as I often do when I get home. My son told me he had tried and tried to call from the hospital in Denver...but couldn't get through. There is no way to interrupt a network connection to receive an emergency call. I received a call from their father at 1:00 AM telling me "...there was an accident...Natasha didn't make it."
I remember saying over and over, "She didn't make it where?" before it hit me. I wasn't off the phone five minutes from him when the victim's advocate showed up
to break the news to me.
Natasha continued to give her love even after she was gone by sharing her corneas and heart valves so that someone else might live and see.
The Memorial service for Natasha was held at Windsor Middle School where she was starting her second year. All of the students wrote banners about how much they missed her or how she had influenced their life. She was loved by so many and touched so many people's lives...there were over three hundred friends and family at the Memorial service. There were people standing in the doorways and aisles after
all the seats were filled. All were there wishing to say their goodbye to this little girl so full of life, giving unconditional love and caring so much that had touched their hearts so intensely. It was hard to be so sharing with her on that day, everyone wanting to tell me how much they loved her or what special way she had touched their life...little schoolmates of hers needing to be hugged by me; feeling closer to Natasha through the embrace and tears.
I am not of the age to appreciate rap music very much, however, Mariah and Lucas chose the music to be played at Natasha's Memorial. I'll Be Missing You by Puff Daddy is what they chose. I must admit, when you listen to the words, it is so fitting for them to play for their little sister. I play it all the time now and remember Natasha through smiles and tears.
There has been a park in Windsor dedicated in her memory by the woman she volunteered her time with at the Farmer's Market. One of the neighbors to her father that she babysat for had a baby girl not long after the accident. They named her Natasha after my Little Princess. Her classmates collected money and were able to get a new bench in front of the library, a "Memory Brick" engraved with her name
and dates, and extra funds that have at this time not yet been decided where to donate. It was asked that in lieu of flowers, that donations be made to the Windsor Severance Public Library where she spent so much time. In a months time donations were given in her name exceeding $5,000.00 with donations even still coming in.
I find it ironic that on Mother's Day, among the many wonderful gifts she gave to me (she had worked exceptionally hard to give me something special this year, she earned enough money to pay for a massage for me in Windsor) she had picked out
a card that had an angel dog on the front of it. It was so precious that I had it framed before the next time she came over.
In looking back, I see it as a sign now. She was so adjusted in life; nothing could throw her a hard pitch. She was always ready for the next step taking things as they came to her. In some strange way I feel she recognized her destiny and accepted the responsibilities that would come with that. Our last year together was wonderful;
she had grown up into such a beautiful, compassionate, mature, young lady, wise
beyond her years...it certainly makes me wonder about the mysteries of God. Isn't
it funny that mystery stories were one of her favorites?
I am proud in knowing that Natasha had learned so many of God's lessons at such
a young age. I remember reading somewhere since the accident that God puts someone on this earth to learn His lessons and when they are ready He takes them home with Him to serve His kingdom in a different realm. I believe this is true of Natasha, I think she learned the lessons God had planned for her an He needed to take her home with Him for a greater purpose He had for her to serve Him better.
I know I am not alone in my feelings as so many of you have experienced this unnatural pain we are destined to endure for whatever purpose God has made this choice in our lives. I miss Natasha so much, there are days I don't know how I can make it another. I cry myself to sleep some evenings just praying like so many of
us do for just one last time to hold her tight and kiss her and tell her how much I
love her.
When Natasha was a very little girl, just learning how to count, we played a game. When one would say, "I love you" the other would say "I love you "two" and back and forth through "I love you four" for the winner to be the one saying "I love you more" with much giggling, kisses and hugs.
Every time we were together, talked, emailed...we still always played that game with each other and tried to beat the other to saying I love you more.
I have improvised our saying:
My Little Princess, I love you one, I love you two, I love you three, I love you four.
My Little Princess I will love you forevermore.
- Momma
