Sept. 11, 1994 - March 21, 2004
Niskayuna, New York
The birth of our precious daughter, Sabrina, was one of the greatest moments of our lives. This March we lost her to NBIA. By the time she died at age 9, she had endured much more than the average child, yet her classmates remember her as someone who always smiled and always looked on the bright side, even when she was in pain.
Sabrina was a trouper. Though her time with us was all too short, she still managed to give us tremendous joy and to teach us so much. She taught us what love was all about, and she showed us how precious life is.
Born in Montreal, Canada, Sabrina enjoyed watching hockey at a young age with her dad. Every Saturday night, she and her dad had a date to watch the Montreal Canadians play.
Our family moved to upstate New York when Sabrina was 3. She attended Clover Patch Preschool and moved on to Rosendale Elementary School. In kindergarten, she made a group of special friends who treated her like one of the gang. One of their biggest thrills was to push Sabrina around the school in her stroller/wheelchair.
Sabrina was always a flirt and a busybody, and tended to attract attention. Her glorious curls and big brown eyes didn't hurt, either. She never let her disability get in the way of making friends. She touched many lives.
As we try to cope with losing Sabrina, we want to thank, first and foremost, our parents, brothers and sister-in-law for all their love and support. Thanks also to all of our neighbors, who make us feel like family.
We are also grateful to the staff, parents and students at Rosendale and Birchwood Elementary schools for all they did to honor Sabrina's memory.Thanks to Sabrina's instructional aides. Their dedication was a big reason Sabrina loved school. Thanks also to Niskayuna School District for providing for all her needs.
Special thanks to Brian Alyward for his moral support and for making Sabrina laugh; to the bus drivers and aides who made her rides to school fun; and to our wonderful community who continue to help us through this very difficult time.
We are especially grateful for the kind words that Brian Alyward, Linda Cross and Taylor Tear spoke at the services for Sabrina. Last but not least, thanks to all our extended family and friends for their emotional support.
Sabrina was a lucky girl to have known all of you.
She leaves a large hole in our lives that will never be filled. But she will live forever in our hearts. Her family -- Mom, Dad, her sister, Alyssa, and her dog, Emmy--miss her dearly but will cherish her memory always.
