A Mother's Letter to the community that mourns Sophia...
Sophia June-Raquel Salomao Schmidt
May 12, 2005 - June 22, 2006
My Dearest, Dearest Friends,
We have all been around long enough to know that life sometimes turns in a way that we did not expect. If we stop and listen to the “pulse” we find that these are challenging times for the people of our planet. I believe the only hope is our AWAKENING. The world’s goodness puts angels among us to guide us back to LOVE. No matter how much pain/disappointment you have had in your life, deeply remember to always come back to LOVE.
Sophia was LOVE! The only difference between Sophia and us was that she knew nothing else. The more I reflect on the last 13 months, “our lucky 13”, the more I realize that I, and all the people she crossed paths with, were witnessing an angel among us. Just look at her photos, you see it.
Her only “weapon” was her smile and the exuberance you could see in her face. Her first word was in sign language. She creatively created her own sign from the standard words for “drink” and “milk”. Her first spoken word was “Da-da” and she would occasionally say “Hi” and wave at you. At first we thought it was a coincidence, but when several people said she did it for them too we were dumbfounded (and delighted!). Our Sophia, despite most of the things “experts” said was a VERY smart little girl. Just a couple of weeks ago she delighted us with her ability to overcome her low muscle tone and sit up from a lying position with such exuberance it would make the most burly man start clapping with glee. Pure LOVE. She just took your breath away and the next time you took in a breath, it filled you with an incredible sense of peace. Peace.
It all sounds “perfect” but I have a little secret. One that I hate to admit but maybe it will serve as an example to others. When Sophia was born, Doug and I did not take it very well. We were expecting another perfectly healthy baby. We had no idea she had Down Syndrome. At first we were not prepared to see past it. Sometimes in life beautiful things come to us but because we were looking for it in a different form, we don’t realize what we have.
We are all deeply saddened by the loss of such a beautiful person. We all wish she could have stayed with us, even a moment longer. As a mother, I can’t tell you how much I long to snuggle my face in her neck and just kiss her and kiss her and kiss her but….BECAUSE OF SOPHIA…her father and I have a deeper relationship
Because of Sophia our family is more closely knit
Because of Sophia several professionals have been so inspired that they have made life-changing decisions, which will deeply affect the lives of other children
Because of Sophia we have gotten to deeply know and be-friend magical people
Because of Sophia our children and family are more deeply respectful of people with special needs
Because of Sophia one young troubled girl has found inspiration and gone from flunking to being an A and B student.
Because of Sophia, our relationships are more “real”, life is more “real”.
Because of Sophia, the world is a better place.
If you are here, if you can hear my words, you have been touched by Sophia. I beg of you not to let my little girl’s life be in vain. I beg of you to take Sophia’s life as a beacon for how to be ALIVE, AWAKE and BRAVE in your own life. Be in the moment, even when it’s “icky” or not pretty. Life’s most profound and meaningful shifts usually come after such deeply painful experiences. Make your community the best it can be! Live life NOW, you can always be “busy” later. Our collective actions will decide whether this is a tragedy or not. I ask that you go and do something special for someone else, “pay it forward”.
I am and will always be Sophia’s mommy and because of Sophia I am a better person.
Sophia, Sophalicious, Sopiah, Soph-Soph, Sophie, bebe….eu adoro-te! I adore you!
Maria
Sophia's Mother
Added on later: In lieu of flowers we ask you to please give to a place that deeply helped Sophia (and us) and continues to help people with special needs live incredible lives with dignity, love and respect. Anyone who knows them knows how much good humans can do when they set their mind to it.
For more info go to: http://www.hopkintonrespite.com
It's the most real thing you can do! Contact them at:
Michael Carter Lisnow Respite Center
112 Main Street
Hopkinton, MA 01748
508.435.1222
A Father's Letter to the community that mourns Sophia.
Sophia is Love. Sophia is our Butterfly. Sophia is beauty. Sophia is
dreams. Sophia is a special little girl who was born with Down Syndrome on May 12,
2005. She was born with this special quality in spite of her parents, Douglas Schmidt and Maria Salomao-Schmidt never knowing what gifts she was about to bring
them. When she was first born Doug and Maria looked at each and they just knew in their hearts she was going to be different despite what the nurses and doctors
said. She was born on Thursday morning and we didn't find out until late Monday
night. Maria called her mid-wife and she told us the news. Our first reaction was
shock. But the next day Maria was on the phone and within a week we had a team who was going to help us to help Sophia be the very best she could be.
Over the next 13 months Sophia faced many many daunting issues. We where in the doctors office at least once a
week. We also had at least monthly visits to the hospital along with visits to the many specialists she
saw. In March 2006 we found out, actually by accident, that she had a disease called "Infantile Spasms" which is a form of
epilepsy. This disease was actually slowly eating away at her
brain. Maria and Sophia spent a week in the hospital receiving treatments, that if they worked, could actually cure
her. Once home we had to give her daily shots for 30 days and on the 31st day she went in for another
EEG. We where ecstatic when we found out she was cured. We felt we had just witnessed a
miracle.
All the while this was going on Sophia had developed respitory issues in
January. Because of the Down Syndrome her esophagus was smaller and softer and this caused her breathing
problems. But being who she was, she fought through it and continued on and never
complained. She was unbelievable that way. For us, we believed Sophia had no limits, despite what all the doctors and experts told
us. Sophia even taught herself how to sit up. An amazing
feat.
In May 2006 Sophia celebrated her one year birthday with all her family and
friends. It was a very special and moving day for all of us. A few weeks later we went as a family into Boston to celebrate Father's
Day. That Thursday after Father's Day, June 22 Sophia woke up that morning just like every other
morning. Our nanny dressed her and brought her down stairs where she
laid her on her lap and would gently pat her on the back to help loosen her lungs so she could breath
easier. It was then she noticed Sophia and stopped breathing and screamed out to
Maria. Maria called 911 and while on the phone gave our Sophia mouth to mouth until the ambulance
arrived. It all happened in minutes but our lives would change
forever. Sophia, our beautiful little girl was gone.
Sophia, who we referred to as our little butterfly was all about
Love. She came to us as a special little girl and that's how we will always remember her, with beauty and
love.
Even though Sophia is gone, she continues to give us gifts, almost
daily. From the money that was raised for the Michael Lisnow Respite center to the people we have met because of Sophia passing away.
Sophia will always be a part of our family and our lives. We miss her dearly.
