So sorry I cannot be there today. I first met Deanna when I was 10. Good friends in middle school - seem to remember she may have let me win a spelling bee one year by missing the word "beautiful," which she was inside and out (was the cutest scarecrow in our Wizard of Oz play). Deanna only lived a few houses away and her father gave me my first summer yardwork job in high school. When my family moved away in 1984, it became harder to stay in touch. Was so happy to reconnect with her recently, but saddened to find out all she was going through. Even with all of it, she still made time to make ME feel special about reading her book. Told her it was like grabbing a cup of coffee and catching up on all the years we missed being out of touch. Hoped we could have that cup of coffee in person someday... Know she was extra proud of her children - hope those of you out there closest to her can please help them and her parents and brother find some comfort during this time by sharing happy memories - of which there are plenty. Deanna always provided so much to others, and was so excited to make a difference in this world. Please do the same and make her proud.

Deanna and I were fellow long term Multiple Myeloma patients. We knew each other from our treatments at Texas Oncology. I recall driving her to one of her appointments at UT Southwestern when she had her first CAR-T. A great caring person. I was communicating with her when she was down at MD Anderson.  Communicated by text on Aug 12, can't believe she is gone. Such a great caring soul. I miss her!

I had the honor and privilege of caring for Deanna since 2011 when I first moved to the metroplex. She was the "poster child", as I called her, for her disease which she fought for many, many years! She was so knowledgeable and loved to encourage and empower others with cancer. She was the true example of resilience. I was her nurse... and we became friends. I am so sad for this great loss. May God bring comfort to her family at this time and in the season to come. 

I've known Deanna for all of her cancer journey.  She was an inspiration to those of us who work in oncology and to those patients who had the privilege to sit by her in the infusion room.  She channeled that energy into a phenomenal book to help other patients.  She will be missed and remembered!

Class of 2023 High School Graduation — with Deanna and Calvin and Beth and Evan