Dear Selena,

Please accept our family's deepest sympathy for your great loss. This has been such a difficult time for all of us and as a mother, I understand Derrick's mother's grief. Please let her know her family is in our prayers as well.

Rhonda suffered a terrible setback two days after she got home on the 6th of March. We had to take her back to the Emergency room at Desert Regional Hospital in Palm Springs where they discovered many blood clots had entered her lungs. Pulmonary emboli is very serious as you probably well know, working in a hospital. After another 10 days in ICU, she is back home again and is slowly taking baby steps to recovery. Playing nurse is a 24 hour job but we are both holding up and it is such a wonder to see her body gaining strength every day. I am waiting for the day when she can get to her computer and hear Derrick's music as I know she will love it as much as I do.

I don't get on this computer often so if days go by without hearing from me, you will know why. My time is very limited but a welcomed respite to read all of your comments.

Sonja

Dear Selena,

Yes, you see suffering everyday working in a hospital. I can't tell you how wonderful all the nurses, doctors, CNAa and others were to us while Rhonda was hospitalized. We will never forget their kindnesses.

One day when Rhonda was particularly depressed and didn't want to talk to anyone, several of the RNs went down to the gift shop and bought 7 little stuffed animals, each with a goofy expression on their faces, along with a little book about sunshine and gave to her. What a difference that act of kindness made to her. We all thought that was so very special of them to do.

Yes, you do make a difference in patient's lifes, just as Rhonda did when she worked at Eisenhower Hosp., nursing patients back to health. She feels as you do, it is the little things that make a big difference. She has always made a difference in those she touched and will so again...just a matter of time.

My very best to you and your family. I will try to keep in touch even though my time is very limited. I would like to talk with you if you can email me your phone number on sonavan@aol.com on a personal matter, regarding Derrick's personal items. I want to make sure his family gets all his things back that were in his car at the time of the accident. Some of his items were thrown into Rhonda's car when the police were cleaning up the freeway.

Sonja Abate

Dear Selena,

Tomorrow, Sunday, March 29th, my son, Ray Black and I will travel up to USC in LA to attend a memorial service for your nephew, Derrick. I am so looking forward to meeting his friends and perhaps his mother and girlfriend, whom I hear may be there. If are coming, I will have the pleasure of meeting you as well.

My son has been in touch with a wonderful man who played with Derrick in a trio in the LA area and who has kept us posted on the events surrounding the memorial.

I suppose you have already heard about Derrick's cat being returned to Pittsburgh after having been found in his car at the scene of the accident. Cats truly do have nine lives! She escaped with only a couple of chipped teeth! I often wonder if the cat may have caused him to be distracted.

Sonja