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Her name suited her
perfectly.
Lyric’s life was musical - a song of joy, a symphony of laughter and
hope and radiant love.
Her father, Terry, and I were inspired to give her this wonderfully
unique name when we went to the Lyric Opera in Kansas City, MO.
Lyric was born September 20, 1980.
From her first steps, Lyric walked a path of promise. She began
reading at the age of two. At the age of 11, she dedicated her life
to Christ. In sixth grade, she decided that she would attend an Ivy
League school.
Lyric achieved the rare balance of spontaneous delight and rigorous
self-discipline. Her bright mind quickly unlocked the mysteries of
math, language and science; her bright smiles and songs lit up a
room like sunlight chasing the night.
After completing grade school, Lyric moved with me to Morocco in
1992 to attend the Casablanca American School. She learned even more
about the beauty and elegance of God’s earth by immersing herself in
Moroccan culture, history and friendships. She continued to develop
her lifelong passion for theater, joining Moroccan classmates in a
variety of performances that spoke the universal language of
laughter and song.
By the end of high school, Lyric spoke three languages. She achieved
yet another goal and became class valedictorian. She delivered her
farewell speech in English, French and Arabic.
When we returned to the United States in 1998, Lyric was able to
fulfill her childhood dream of attending an Ivy League school. She
was accepted to two Ivy League schools and chose Yale University.
She didn’t just seem to attend Yale as much as she took it by storm.
In short order, almost everyone on campus seemed to know the name
"Lyric." Students cherished their loving friendships with her. She
had an infinite capacity for openness and honesty, seeing the unique
excellence she knew each person bore.
Lyric took the Christian message of "Love Thy Neighbor" to heart.
She loved without condition. If she said you were the brightest,
most gifted, most beautiful person on earth, you believed her.
In 2002, Lyric received a degree in theatrical arts from Yale with
distinction. She embarked on her acting career with vigor. Even
before graduating, she had found an agent in New York and had
participated in several auditions.
Once in New York, she achieved a quick string of successes in radio,
television and print, with the promise of more to come. In addition
to doing TV and radio commercial voice-overs for a variety of
clients, Lyric appeared on "All My Children" and "Law and Order."
More importantly, she discovered the Brooklyn Tabernacle Church,
which spoke to her soul. She found God’s glory expressed in the
Church’s songs and inspired messages of hope. As she matured
spiritually, she saw that God loves nothing more than to smile upon
all of us.
Lyric was killed in April 2003 by her ex-fiancé. Our family chose to
donate her organs and tissues. A statement from the family serves as
testament to the choice:
"We are grateful for the outpouring of support and generosity we
have received from friends, New Yorkers and the general public after
the tragic death of our daughter Lyric. To honor Lyric’s life and
spirit, we made the decision to donate her organs and tissues so
that others could live. It comforts us to know that Lyric’s organs
have already given five people the gift of life: Her kidneys went to
two people; her heart now beats in someone else’s chest; both her
lungs are helping a young adult breathe; and her liver saved the
life of a young teenager.
"In addition, her pancreas was donated for islet cell research that
will help insulin-dependent diabetics make their own insulin; her
skin will help burn victims; her bones may save limbs, provide
mobility and prevent pain. We hope that Lyric’s gift will inspire
others to consider organ donation."
As exemplified in the outpouring of sympathy for her passing,
Lyric’s life bridged nationalities, religions, public pursuits and
private beliefs. Now, as our dear Lyric sits at the hand of the
Lord, we know He is smiling more brightly than ever. He has brought
Home the daughter, the granddaughter, the sister, the niece and
friend whose life shall always remain for us the most beautiful
Lyric of all.
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