- by Anne Finlay-Stewart, Editor

People die in our community. They have all been someone's child, grandchild, someone's sibling and perhaps someone's father or mother. We have been part of their story, and they and their families have been part of our community.

Emily is a friend, a daughter, a partner, a sister, and the mother of three, the youngest only two years old. And Emily did not live to see her own  - undoubtedly spectacular - 40th birthday.

Emily was the Mimi of Mimi's Rooftop Café  at the then Wiarton/Keppel District Airport.  She bought eggs from our farm neighbours for the café from our Around the Sound Local Food Market.

I had met her brother Grant when he took over from me as co-ordinator of the Owen Sound Good Food Box, and again when I took the job back so he could go study to become a massage therapist.

I knew Emily's mother Anna Jean as a colleague of my midwife friends, and admire her as a teacher, gardener, activist and grandmother.

All of these people, and many more whose lives were interwoven with Emily's, and our lives with theirs, will feel the difference that one person's absence can make.

As her mother said “It was not Emily’s time. She did not want or choose to go.” Questions about her medical care in her last week remain.

A GoFund me campaign has been started in Emily's name for the support of family. Her brother invites you to share Emily stories and her "Every Day" reminders.

And her mother has one more thing you can do -

“One of the few little lights is Emily’s ability to be an organ donor. It is not consolation, but it is something meaningful. That Emily will be able to prevent the pain of loss for other families. If you have not yet registered as an organ donor, this is something you can do in her honour. And I can not say enough about the kindness, compassion and respect of the ICU and Trillium staff.”