Our neighbor and friend died a few days ago. She was thirty four years old. Yes, 34.
We cared dearly for her, but we had to put her at a distance since the fall. She told several of us a lie that affected the safety of us and her three-ish year old son. I was honest with her about those circumstances. We were still friends via text; we just didn’t hang out in the same physical spaces again quite yet.
Apparently, things got very bad….we just didn’t know that in time to help, if we even could have. D1 (more below) knew how bad things were, but professionally, he couldn’t do or say anything.
She died all alone in her apartment under pretty bad circumstances. Suspecting something amiss, a couple of days later, her landlord asked for a welfare check. One of our sweet building staff members, D2, found her. (Thankfully, her kiddo was at his anti-vaxxer baby daddy’s place.) Supposedly, her parents weren’t speaking to her. A few days prior, she told me she had just bailed her brother out of jail. Her world was tough.
Here is the weird part: For the longest time, I couldn’t find a death notice in Denver or an obituary in her hometown (not that I’d post it here). So, I’ve included my obit for her below.
She was a very sweet person, and we will miss her dearly. This weekend, we have a “Cool Kids” gathering with other night owls in our building. Growing up in the Bible Belt, I’ve never seen/done this, but we’re going to pour one out for her. It will be Texas-made Tower Vodka straight up, her drink of choice. (I taught her that Tower is better than Tito’s.)
RIP CT 1987-2022. No matter the demons, 34 is too young. I wish we could have helped. #GoneTooSoon
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Update: An Obit was finally published. I also found enough info to email her sister N and reached out to her. I got a sweet note back, too.
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CT 1987-2022
CT (1987-2022) of Denver passed away in her home on the weekend of Saturday, June 11, 2022. She is survived by her 4-year-old son, KTS, who was her entire world, [apparently a new husband], her sister N, her brother and his partner, and her “lobster” B. Other survivors include: her parents and several friends. Two staff members of her building, D1 & D2, genuinely cared for her, as did several of her neighbors. She knew everyone who frequented the pool deck.
C was fierce when she needed to stand up for what is right, and good, and true. She taught anyone within earshot about the noble way to be a human….even when they didn’t know they wanted to hear it. By her example as a mother, she taught many how to be kind and polite. She was a grand defender of those she cared about, especially her sister N. (N, on the off chance that you ever read this, please know that she loved you with her entire soul!)
C grew up in a small town in western Colorado. After moving to Denver and before becoming a mom, she made a career in the cannabis industry; she had a thorough knowledge of all plants’ needs and their well being. She also loved rocks, and kept a beautiful collection. Though not religious, christmas was her favorite holiday and this most recent year, her apartment “puked” gold glitter into the hallway of her building. C was creative and kind. She was down-to-Earth, but also appreciated fancy things.
In lieu of flowers, please join her neighbors and friends as we pour one out for CT on Saturday, June 18, 2022 at 12:15am in the lobby of her home.