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What an experience life has been since graduating from BHS!!
I met Tim Rieger, who graduated with our class at Brazosport High. We met at Brazosport Junior College. We married in June of 1970. We had two wonderful daughters, Kitteile and Tegan. They were incredible and were an absolute joy to raise and to know as people.
Tim and I, received a call from Brackenridge hospital one Saturday afternoon, Sept. 30, 2000, informing us that Kitteile was there, with them, in the emergency room, and that she had been involved in a really serious accident. It was a drunken driver, who had an alcohol content of .277, three and a half times the legal limit and drugs in addition to the alcohol in his system. Kittiele was tragically killed and I thought it would destroy our lives. She and Tegan were not only sisters, but best friends. They lived together in their early twenties and all of their friends were in common, even though they were 4 1/2 years apart in age. The accident happened to the day, to the hour, 6 weeks before Tegan's wedding. Tegan, Tim and I had just arrived home from shopping for Tegan's wedding and Kitteile's bridesmaid dress was hanging right in the entry way ready for alterations. Ten minutes after we arrived home is when we received the call. At that time, Tim had just endured his 26th major surgery, due to his juvenile diabetes. He had lost both legs due to the diabetes. He had been on dialysis since he was 36 years old. We went on to have Tegan's wedding, and she had Kitteile's bouquet made, and carried it down the aisle with her own wedding bouquet. What an inspiration that was to Tim and I; the funeral was just six weeks earlier, Tim was so ill with his diabetes and I was helping Tegan with the wedding and that was just so refreshing.
We went on to try and heal ( I don't think you ever do, I think you learn to cope with it).
Tim continued to go through more surgeries and diaylsis. He passed away on December 19th of 2002. I was so proud to be married to him, he was so brave and so very humble during the many years of his illness. He had such a graceful faith in God that it taught me so many things about the importance of life and it's challenges.
Six months later, Tegan's little Carli passed away at 13 1/2 months. She was perfectly healthy and no signs of any illness. Tegan was 7 weeks from delivery of another baby, when Carli passed away six months after Tim's passing. After an autopsy and 7 months of medical examiners from the toxicology report, the result was undetermined. The medical examiner advised that sometimes, a baby can have a bacterial or viral infection that never show outward signs of any problems and that it will attack their organs.
Tegan and her husband, and other children have moved to San Jose, California, and I miss them so much. I fly to see them as often as I can.
During the years since high school, my employment centered around building customer service arenas for high tech companies and then supervising them. I really enjoyed the challenge that the building and growing process encompassed. After we lost Kitteile, I stayed with Tim for the next two years, as he needed help in getting through each day. After Tim passed away, I was trying to find my idenity, and where I now, would fit into life and become a functioning member of society again. You know, I learned so much and I am so very thankful for that learning process. I learned that I was stronger than I ever thought would be possible. That was only through God's guidance. I am so thankful for everyday and just the little things make me incredibly happy. I love to be around people, as always, and I love to laugh. Intelligent conversation to me, is a commodity.
I would love to share with you all, a very fun and exciting venue I was involved with while working with the high tech field. I promoted and managed a country artist from Austin, Texas. Building her band and bringing them together was so much fun. I was so humbled and honored to be able to take her to Nashville and enter her into a contest at the Charlie Daniels venue. She won the contest and we went back a second time. The gentleman who was indirectly responsible for the gain that Garth Brookes had in his fame, was the person I was working with in Nashville to help me with April. He felt like she was a great entertainer, and her voice was amazing, however wanted her to mature a little more. He asked if I would move to Nashville and help him to promote three other country artists. I told him that as great and exciting as that sounded, my first priority was with Tim and being present for him and those two precious daughters we had. I was able to go from there and write her country theme song and move her into many different venues. I learned through that experience, the music business is a cut throat type of business. After two years of endless hours of work in between taking care of my full time position at high tech, Tim and the girls, another person saw her progress and took her with his venue. He did not take her to the next level and she is still in the area.
I then was approached by a person in Austin that wanted to unite to build a country entertainment ranch. We embarked upon that, obtained an investor, built our business plan, and were ready for construction, and at the last minute our investor, from Italy, pooped out on us. Our very own, in Austin, Wayln Jennings was going to be our first guest. We were going to be able to have Shania Twain and others in her management group to come. Anyway that will really humble you and I began to understand not to be so gullable with the music business.
At the present I am hoping to finish my book, The Aftermath of Challenge. We will see, I just want to see what God has in mind for me.
I have since, been working for Youngtex International. Although this is a different breed of work from high tech, it still is crucial regarding how our customers are handled on a legal, professional and ethical basis. I love every minute of it.
If I can figure out how to download the pictures I have to share with you all, I will get them on the profile.
I am so looking forward, at almost 59 to engage in what life has to offer. There are so many wonderful things to experience and to bask in. There were so many things and places that Tim and I did not do, because of his illness, that at this age I am looking forward to. I do not have any misfortune regarding not getting to do those things earlier, as my place in life married to Tim, was my choice, and I loved it, and was committed to it. Now my season has arrived, and everyday is a gift.
I cannot wait to see you all at the reunion and to visit with you. It will be a happy reunion and to hear about your sweet families, children, grandchildren, fun times, sad times, your work, your accomplishments and your dreams.
BHS reunion or bust, right!!!!
