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Event Dedication
— Meghan Kraham: Meghan’s Missed —
deeply Meghan is the most caring, sensitive and loving young person that many of us on the Sean’s Run Committee have ever known. Throughout her life she touched thousands of people through her close friendships, her school and college classes, involvement in many different high school and college clubs, teams, events and charitable causes. In high school, after loosing her friend Sean, she became the impetus behind restarting the Chatham High School SADD chapter which continues still today. She was a leader and a role model, and she cared about her community. She was also a founder of Sean’s Run, when she was a sophomore and just 16. Who can ever forget Meghan’s beautiful smile and her beautiful long hair. Meghan was also involved in Locks for Love and she volunteered and participated in the Relay for Life – raising money for cancer research. We all felt the warm embrace of Meghan’s unselfishness, kindness and, and what we will remember most of all - her love. Meghan gave more love in her too brief life than many of us might give in longer life times. Meghan is the daughter that every parent would love to call their own. Every young person who met Meghan wanted to be counted among her friends. When she worked a summer job at Crellin Park all the kids wanted Meghan Kraham to be their counselor. Meghan lived life just the way so many of try to live our own lives. As one man said, who met her for the first time just a few months before she succumbed to a battle against cancer, “Meghan is like an angel sent to earth to wake others up!” And we all know that Meghan didn’t magically become the extraordinary person she is. She is the product of some very special families – the Krahams and the O’Roukes. These are families who are held in the highest esteem in our community because they exemplify all the best that families are supposed to be. It was that outstanding upbringing that led Meghan to our doorstep when we were a grieving family, during a time when even the most caring adults struggled to find the right thing to say or do to sooth our family’s pain. Meghan was only 16 when she came alone to our home to offer wise, kind and sensitive words. She cried with us and she talked with us about fond memories and better times – her warm smile, her loving hugs and her sincere words comforted us like a warm blanket on a winter night. We felt her love, and we established a special relationship, a beautiful bond. And that care and concern for others did not fade even as she struggled and battled against her illness. Meghan’s visitors while she was in the hospital all felt that she remained sincerely interested in how they were doing. Somehow, in spite of feeling so lousy, she was able to smile and make others feel better! She was concerned about us, she was trying to make us comfortable, even though she herself was very uncomfortable. I too think that God created Meghan to be a living example for all us – she showed us how to leave a sign of goodness and love where ever we pass – just look into the eyes of the person next to you and you will see the evidence of Meghan’s good works. I just know, that when ever any of us thinks of Meghan, she’ll be right there, alive in our hearts, always an example, reminding us that the love we take will be equal to the love we make. Mark D. French |