Stargazer
17 months ago I lost a friend, colleague, and student, to a tragic accident leaving behind two young children under the age of three and a devastated husband.
My boss stopped me in the hall this week as I hustled about my busy day.
Sensitivity check. Can I hang this up?
It was a picture of a plaque. A plaque containing her name. A plaque for her last mission, a plaque we mounted on the spacecraft she was working on when she passed. A plague with her name and an epitaph, that is now orbiting the planet because that is what the NASA family does.
I paused the briefest moment, struck anew with the memory of friendship and loss. Yes, yes you should put it up. Absolutely. Then, I started to leave, only to turn back briefly and say I wrote the epitaph you know.
I know. That's why I'm asking you.
Her call-sign on our team was Hokie-girl, part of her grinning rivalry with Cavalier. But her childhood nickname was Stargazer.
Beloved wife. Loving mother
Passionate engineer. Generous friend.
A stargazer whose dedication made dreams soar and whose spirit will continue to inspire us all.
We launched it into space, because she would've liked that.
We hung the picture on the wall because we like to remember.
My boss stopped me in the hall this week as I hustled about my busy day.
Sensitivity check. Can I hang this up?
It was a picture of a plaque. A plaque containing her name. A plaque for her last mission, a plaque we mounted on the spacecraft she was working on when she passed. A plague with her name and an epitaph, that is now orbiting the planet because that is what the NASA family does.
I paused the briefest moment, struck anew with the memory of friendship and loss. Yes, yes you should put it up. Absolutely. Then, I started to leave, only to turn back briefly and say I wrote the epitaph you know.
I know. That's why I'm asking you.
Her call-sign on our team was Hokie-girl, part of her grinning rivalry with Cavalier. But her childhood nickname was Stargazer.
Beloved wife. Loving mother
Passionate engineer. Generous friend.
A stargazer whose dedication made dreams soar and whose spirit will continue to inspire us all.
We launched it into space, because she would've liked that.
We hung the picture on the wall because we like to remember.