Our Zombie Prom is held in memory of Sarah Alice Strebel "Wahza"

This event is being held in loving memory of Sarah Alice Strebel.  Our  Angel.  

My Wahza baby as I called her, was diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes at the age of eight.  She was a spunky little girl who was active and a big dreamer.  She touched the lives of everyone she knew.  She was my hero.  I looked up to her.  She wasn't just my aunt, she was my sister, my best friend. 

 I remember dancing around to Micheal Jackson, BonJovi, Guns n' Roses, and other eighties pop and rock.  We had a blast always. She would say "pink is my signature color" all the time and use slang of her own like "hey slambo Jambo!" which had several meanings.  It meant anything you wanted it to, as long as it was a good thing! She was mischevious and fun!  She was so smart and beautiful and chased her dreams despite how sick she was. 

 She became a Registered Nurse and sparked my dream of becoming one too.  She would even take me to work with her when she was doing Home Care for IHC.  She had dreams of going into Diabetic Research.  She wanted so badly to find a cure.  She never wanted any other child to suffer the way she had.   She was excepted into the Masters Program at the U and I remember how excited she was.  At the same time her health went down fast.  She knew that there was a possibility that maybe she wouldn't be able to finish the program and gave her spot to someone on the waiting list.  That, to me, takes courage. 

She didn't want to steal someone else's dream.  She knew she was just too sick.  And she was.  The Diabetes gave her Neuropathy (causes nerve damage to vital organs including the brain)  through out her body.  She ended up on a feeding tube because her stomach stopped working.  She also had to be on a central line because she was constantly going so low she needed meds through that.  Her doctors said the only thing they could do for her was make her comfortable. 

 Diabetes doesn't normally do this to a young person's body, they see it frequently with older and they had no cure for the nerve damage.  It was hard for my family to watch her vibrant personality change.  Through it all she remained positive and continued loving her Heavenly Father and brother Jesus.  But she wasn't completely the same "Wah" she had been.  I remember how excited she was when I became pregnant.  She never got to find out I was having a little girl who would be named after her. 

  In September 2007 she was taken home so fast.  Only 34 years old.  She was going to change the world.  She was going to help find a cure.  Her dream to find that cure and the dream still lives on in my heart.  We will find a cure!

I love you Wahza Baby!  You are the best wahza a girl could have!

I miss you.  

Love always and forever,

Trisha "Malone"