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Post by dlfreak on Jan 9, 2007 21:25:19 GMT -8
Many of you may remember a super active guild member here at the guild by the name of leighacrystine. She was a bright, spirited person and an active member of our guild. In fact she was a council member and I believe she made it as high as second or third on the council list. She owned a Discount Petpet Shop for the guild among many of her acheivements and was a joy and pleasure to know as I'm sure anyone who knew her would tell you. One day she just stopped signing online which was particularly odd. She was a highly active member and as an online friend of mine I talked to her frequently on AIM as well as occasional correspondance by email. One day she just stopped signing into Neopets and I never again saw her on AIM. I feared the worst at first but I remember she had just graduated high school so I figured she might be in a transition period in her life as she got used to being in college. A year passed and not a single word from her. I began to really worry but still keep it at the back of my head that she was ok. I remember in conversation with her that she told me her screen name was her real name but spelled the way she wanted it. leighacrystine was the way she wished her real name (Leah Cristine) was spelled. I searched high and low on the internet for her name and nothing ever came up. Today looking at her profile I realized that Cristine wasn't her last name, it was her middle name. Her account says her name is Leah Furey. I did a quick search on that name and I'm sad to say I did find results. It turns out that my worst fears were realized and Leah Cristine Furey indeed passed away June 2004. Here is a clip from that article: "Leah Cristine Furey was an ambitious young woman, a gifted pianist who received early acceptance into Slippery Rock University’s Music Therapy Program, only to die in June from complications of pneumonia two months before the start of her freshman year."
From: www.sru.edu/pages/10605.asp Indeed this is very sad news to anyone who remembers her but I hope this provides closure to her odd and sudden disappearance more than two years ago. Although I never met her in person she truly was such a wonderful person. Here is a picture (among several, both professional and regular) that she sent to me.  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If anyone who knew and cared about her would like to contribute words for a card for her family, please send me: 1. Your real name. 2. Where you were from when she was around. 3. A memo for her family to let them know that their daughter was loved outside of their hometown. Also, this isn't required but it would add so much more if you could all include a picture of yourselves as well. You can email this all to me at silvercloudsguild@hotmail.com |
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Post by dlfreak on Jan 9, 2007 21:27:56 GMT -8
Also, for those of you who remember/knew her (or for those who don't). I'm wondering your opinion on something...
What do you think if I tried to find the contact information for her family. I was thinking it would be a nice gesture if I and any one who remembers her could maybe write something that we could send to her family to let them know that in her tragically short life, their daughter touched many people's lives, people from much farther than her home in Pennsylvania. I think it would be a touching sentiment. Please post your comments.
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Post by fairy_tale_girl64 on Jan 9, 2007 21:29:37 GMT -8
omg...thats the one thing i worry so much about on the internet meeting people you never really know out in the real world and then all the sudden they vanish...i know how to contact lindsey well i did ..not sure what her new numbers are now..i think i had them but then when she moved i threw them away..not realizing that her cell would be the same..bunny i have an address on a package for but do not know her number..other than that..if one of you that i was close to up and disappeared i would have absolutely no way to contact you guys...i am very sorry to hear this news...i didn't know her but still it leaves a very heavy feeling in my heart.
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Post by BunnyRabt on Jan 9, 2007 21:38:22 GMT -8
Oh no....that is so awful. I remember her well because when I was a new member she was soooo nice to me! She was a good guild member and such a nice person and besides being nice she was physically very beautiful and had the sweetest face. It just goes to show that in this life you never know how long you have, or those you love have left on this earth. I'm sure no one expected such a young lively person to die of something like that in this day and age. My heart goes out to her family. They must have been devastated. I know if Mitch had died right after he got out of high school I would just never have gotten over it. Never.
I think your idea of us writing something to send to her family is a good idea. I think they would find it comforting to think that people haven't forgotten her. Let me know if you decide to do this because I would want to write something.
I am just so sad over this.
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Post by dlfreak on Jan 9, 2007 21:41:23 GMT -8
I am too.
It's so strange that someone you never met in person could have an impact on you.
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Post by lindseycron0 on Jan 9, 2007 23:10:31 GMT -8
omg! now I understand what you meant in the council thread (pay no heed to my post in there then, that's just what I get for starting at the top and working my way down) either way, at least I am friends with people in the guild offline as well, lisa and tanzi would certainly know if anything happened to me as I usually talk to both of them daily, same with jazzmyn and susan too when we're not so swamped, though I haven't called Tanzi lately since I turned my home phone off for a cell (just cheaper for 2 cells than a home and a cell)
either way, I would love to send something to her family. It would probably make them feel better knowing that you did so much investigating just to find out how she was. It's been long enough that the initial pain has probably past for the residual, long lasting type, but enough to probably not give them a stroke to have her mentioned again you know.
I barely remember leigh. I joined in March of 04 so I didn't get to know her very well before she vanished.
My sympathies go out to all of her friends and family for the tragedy.
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Post by dlfreak on Jan 9, 2007 23:20:17 GMT -8
A lot has changed in the time since she passed. If any of you can think of who on Neopets who knew her and would care to know please let me know. So far I've contacted cherry1216 and jclocke_iguana. Cherry as very sad to hear the news and thought my idea to send something to the family would be a good idea.
As I was sharing with bunnyrabt, I thinkt it would be nice if I could compile the following from everyone who knew her here at the guild. I would like to send a card or something with our:
1. Real names
2. Where we're from. (She's from PA but bunnyrabt is from IN, I'm from CA, Cherry from KS, and jclocke from England, Mcalnan and Auntie_ash from canada.... I think that would be touching for the family to see how many lives out of Penn. that their daughter touched)
3. A short memo of our experiences with her.
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Post by gaudianprincess on Jan 10, 2007 0:05:03 GMT -8
I remember her...She was always so joyful and happy and she sent that vibe to a lot of people, I know I felt it even though it was over the internet
I went and read the whole article and cried...I am quite upset
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Post by dlfreak on Jan 10, 2007 0:20:53 GMT -8
I found one other page talking about her and coincidently they used the exact same photo that I happened to use. Towards the middle of the page: www.sv-foundation.org/fundlist_a-c_nm.htmLeah Cristine Furey Memorial Scholarship Fund
This scholarship was established in memory of Leah Cristine Furey who died tragically on June 15, 2004, from complications of pneumonia. Miss Furey was a 2004 honors graduate of Lakeview High School and a gifted pianist and musician. Among her many school and community activities, Leah was chosen as the drum major for the marching band, was elected Student Council president, and was selected as Lakeview’s 2003-2004 Homecoming Queen. A young woman of strong faith and moral character, she served as the pianist and organist for the Lakeview United Methodist Church since she was 11 years old. She planned to pursue a dual major in music education and music therapy at Slippery Rock University. Leah will always be remembered by those who knew and loved her for her friendly smile and caring spirit. Since it was mentioned in that blurb I went ahead an uploaded a picture that she sent me after her homecoming. |
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Post by gaudianprincess on Jan 10, 2007 0:33:59 GMT -8
wow...what an amazing woman she was:-[
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Post by fairy_tale_girl64 on Jan 10, 2007 0:46:55 GMT -8
well like i said i didn't know her but regardless the saddness is still there if for no reason but her life was too short and her achievements and talents were beyond average...and i do agree with bunny..any parent knows the fear of losing a child much less it happening no matter what age they are. its bad enough to loose older members of your family but to loose one thats life has just begun well i can't imagine that pain. dl it really shows your love for your members that you would even persist in looking into her disappearace for this long or worry over it..your a great guy in case i haven't told you lately...so many times i have wondered if i ever disappeared would it affect anyones life that i met online and it just goes to show you that someone eventually will say i wonder what happened too....
oh and to let you know how much this story has effected others..i have had members im me with their personal info to give us some way to find them if need be...thanks for sharing dl
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Post by nftysqrt69 on Jan 10, 2007 11:55:11 GMT -8
It's so weird to think that the worse actually happened. Even when DLfreak told me last night I was still denying it and said it's probably someone else. But seeing her picture on the scholarship page I knew it was true.
It's so sad. You hardly hear of people dying from pneumonia. I didn't know her very well, but I know she impacted a lot of people in a positive way and now the people that did know her here can have some closure.
Just let us now when we can send the messages to you dlfreak.
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Post by pjprek on Jan 10, 2007 13:22:32 GMT -8
Dl, so sorry to hear about Leah. I too, read about her scholorship and saw your pictures of her. This is so sad when you look at her beautiful smile and to know she was so young and her whole life ahead of her. She was very special and talented from the article. I personally can not recall having contact with her in the guild, But a spirit is to be remembered, and I believe you should try to contact the parents and let them know how she touched the lives of you and fellow guild members. It will do them good to know she had touched so many people from around the world who are members of this guild. She had made a friend in you and you should definetely let them know of the impact she had on you as a friend. You are one of a kind buddy, and I love your caring nature.... They will appreciate how and why you are coming into their lives at this time. I feel for your loss of a friend and I know she smiles down on you for remembering her. You are special!
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Post by daisy1961 on Jan 10, 2007 14:50:23 GMT -8
Leah was a very beautiful person inside and out. I too wondered what happened to her and deeply saddened to hear this news. She was a very vibrant and lovely person, just to know her through the guild was a great honor. My heart is aching for her family, such a tragic loss not only to her family but to the rest of the world. She touched all the lives of everyone she touched and her presence is missed deeply. DL thanks for researching this, even if it was tragic news. Leah I know you are up in heaven watching this and hope that you knew how special you were to all of your guild family.
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Post by miss_auntie_ashley on Jan 10, 2007 15:50:06 GMT -8
OMG This girl was AMAZING I knew her very well... We talked ALL the time outside of the guild, we would talk about everything from school, the guild, boyfriends, life and fashion... haha. And inside the guild me and her RULED the place hahaha ;o) kinda like "DL? whos he?" haha or atleast we tired lol
I loved this girl I felt like we were more then just guild members to eachother, she had a heart of gold such a sweet sweet girl! I always knew that even though we just knew eachother online I could turn to her to talk to her about anything and she would be there for me and i can only hope now that she felt the same... She was a true friend.
WOW i cant believe that she is really gone, but I have faith that she is looking down reading this post about her and just feeling so happy ;o) hehe
I never wanted to think that maybe she was really gone that maybe one day she would pop up and say BOO ;o) but I guess not.
I have missed her all this time and will continue missing her, but it is good to know what actually happened to her.
Its so amazing how they did the scholarship in her name, her named deserves to be honored, like I said this girl had a heart of gold ;o)
That is a REALLY great idea to write something about her, I think those who loved her and were close with her would really appreciate that like im sure DL said, show just how many other people she has touched.
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Post by dlfreak on Jan 10, 2007 16:40:57 GMT -8
Yes so if everyone who knew and cared about her could please send me:
1. Your real name.
2. Where you were from when she was around.
3. A memo for her family to let them know that their daughter was loved outside of their hometown.
Also, this isn't required but it would add so much more if you could all include a picture of yourselves as well. You can email this all to me at silvercloudsguild@hotmail.com
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Post by chnzluv on Jan 10, 2007 19:11:02 GMT -8
OMG.. i just got the email today... she was sooo totally awsome <3
its kinda really sucks T_T
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Post by miss_auntie_ashley on Jan 10, 2007 19:33:40 GMT -8
This girl meant so much to so many of us I sent a e-mail to Mcalnan (Matt) to let him know because he isnt on here much nemore... and he e-mailed me back and was very sad aswell... he knew her pretty well aswell ;o) Matt was like out little brother hehe ;o) He cant believe either that she is really gone *sigh*
like i said before and many of you have she will be missed
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Post by tanzilynn on Jan 10, 2007 20:24:47 GMT -8
I'm so sorry to hear about Leah. I didn't really know her, cuz i didn't join the guild until may of 2004, but it is always sad to hear of someone so young passing away, especially someone so talented. She really sounds like she was a special person. I feel very bad for everyone who knew her, especially her parents. My biggest fear is losing my children. DL, I think it's a wonderful idea to write to her family and let them know how much she touched your life and the lives of other members of the guild. She was truely a beautiful person. I think her family will appreciate hearing from those of you who knew her and knowing what she meant to you all.
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Post by miss_auntie_ashley on Jan 10, 2007 20:35:30 GMT -8
everyone being sad isnt going to do much yeah its hard not to be... but knowing her i dont think she would want it that way... she would want us to be happy and not morn that shes gone but celebrate that we were all friends... we may not hang out and go to the movies together... but we come together online share our lives and ourselves with eachother... we are sorta like a little family... if u believe we know she is in a safe place looking down on us smiling. we were all very blessed to have known such an amazing girl, we should remember all the good things about her... she wont be coming back but we can let her live on in our memories of her ;o)
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[My5:]
