Dying and Disney

[Disney Dad Canada]

The latest discussion boards podcast brought a tear to my eye, as I believe it was mentioned by Julie or Kathy about how scary a cemetery is.

One of the last things my wife told me before she passed away was "Don't take the kids to the cemetery, take them to WDW because that's where I'm going."

That's the reason I bought DVC, and that's the reason I became a Disney nut. Although my wife can't come with us in person, one way or another we see her in spirit every trip.

 

[topolino]

The latest discussion boards podcast brought a tear to my eye, as I believe it was mentioned by Julie or Kathy about how scary a cemetery is.

One of the last things my wife told me before she passed away was "Don't take the kids to the cemetery, take them to WDW because that's where I'm going."

That's the reason I bought DVC, and that's the reason I became a Disney nut. Although my wife can't come with us in person, one way or another we see her in spirit every trip.

Thanks for sharing this DDC. It must be hard to think back on those words of your wife, but at the same time comforting to know how happy she'd be (and is) that you and your kids continue her passion. It's part of her legacy.

An uncle of mine who loved WDW, shortly after finding out he was going to die, wanted to go to WDW one last time. He and my aunt and cousins went as a family, and now that he's gone, they tell me that it was the most special, if not most difficult trip they've taken. They still go every year.

A friend of mine was staying with her husband at BC and one morning, on her birthday, her husband went down to the lobby to get her a birthday button while she was getting ready in the room. When he told her "I'll be right back" before leaving the room, it was the last time she saw him alive. He had an aneurysm and died in the lobby. She still speaks fondly of WDW, even though she hasn't been able to bring herself to go back yet.

 

[Disney Enabler]

Everytime I read your posts I think you really are a wonderful Dad.

The memories you make with your children continue to fill their life treasure box. Making those memories remembering your wife will be precious to them as they grow up.

Carol
It's a great day to be alive!!!

 

[rn4val]

I am sure it is hard to be without the one you love but how wonderful to know you are making memories in a place she loved. I am glad you are a Disney nut and I am sure your wife is smiling down on you everytime you return to WDW. What a wonderful example you are.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Paul, you are awesome. But you knew that.

 

[TrekBoy85]

Hearing this has certainly warmed my heart and brought a tear to my eye.

 

[FunkyFunBuckets]

Not looking to hijack anyones thread but disney dad inspired me toshare my own story.



When me and my sister were younger my parents always felt that rather than buy big expensive presenst at christmas and birthdays, it would be better to take us to orlando every year and allow us to make memories that would last much longer than any toy.

So every year we travelled from Northern Ireland to orlando and had a great time.

However in 2000 my mum was diagnosed with cancer at just 9 I didn't really understand what this was and how sick mum would truly get.

Despite this mum decided that we would go on one final trip to orlando and celebrate our normal lives before they were turned upside down.

Our trip was planned to start on sat 14th september 2001, I was in school at the time when we learnt of the attacks and we truly believed that we would have to cancel our trip but through some miracle we got to take our trip.

Our final night at Disney my whole family were watching the fireworks show, which I believe was fantasy in the sky, when all of a sudden my mum leans over to me and my sister and tells us that no matter what happens after this we should always remember this moment and know that she would be with us forever.



When we came home from our trip and things got bad with surgery and chemotherapy and radiotherapy my mum wrote my dad a letter for their anniversary saying that she would always keep that moment in her heart and that she knew if anything happened to her we would be fine with dad.



My mum passed away 4 years ago this april.


After it happened we were all so depressed and down. But my dad discovered that in a savings account with his name on it my mum had been putting away money with the intent that it be used to take ourselves back to orlando.



That is exactly what we did and on the last night of our trip we were watching the fireworks show and i looked over at my dad and saw he had tears rolling down his cheeks and he was holding the letter my mum wrote for him. He was trying to hide it but even though I saw him I have never told him because I knew he was having a private moment.

We have continued the tradition every year and we never feel more joy or connection to our mum than when we are in Disney world.

 

[PeterPan09]

I work in ticketing and I had a guest come to the booth this week who was "celebrating" her husband who had recently passed. She and a group of her friends were at Disney to celebrate his life and his love for the parks. She said that so many of her happiest memories with him were here and she knew that it would make her remember those times and not the struggle of his illness and death. I think Disney can be really healing in a case like this.

 

[Disney Dad Canada]

Not looking to hijack anyones thread but disney dad inspired me toshare my own story.

Not hijacking at all, this is why I started the thread, for inspiration and honouring those that we miss.

Not Disney related, but one of my elderly friends I used to sit with sometimes in the general admission section of the Toronto Bluejays games passed away the second Joe Carter hit his world series home run in 1993. Her husband said she was going to pass on very soon due to her age and various illnesses, and it was a great memory to see her die doing what she loved, watching her Bluejays.

Joe carter attended her funeral, which was the classiest thing I've seen an athlete do in quite some time.

 

[disney4dan]

Certainly a thought provoking thread!

While on a trip to WDW in 2008, I got news that a young cousin of mine had passed after battling disease for many years. His death was unexpected and had come as a shock to all of us.

It was at this time that I learned something interesting about Disney - we could not locate a condolence card anywhere on the property.

 

[moepanz]

I am in tears reading this thread and believe I found it for a reason. I have never shared my complete story on the boards about the loss of my mom and the Disney connection and I see it would not be considered hijacking here goes: Sorry so long.

March 15, 09 my mother was diagnosed with lung cancer. She was scheduled to go to WDW 3/18/09 but could not, she had to start treatment right away. We promised her that when she was done with chemo and radiation we will all go. The first round of chemo nearly killed her, bad reaction too toxic with the radiation. She survived and was in ICU for 9 days. That was April. She continued on with her treatments. Her treatments would be complete that Sept. They did not work the cancer spread everywhere. The trip was booked for Sept. 17th. The Dr.said "GO do not cancel" Mom was sick but agreed with the Dr. and refused to cancel. Off we went.We flew from Long Island, Me, DH, my kids ds 6 dd4, ds4, and my brother and his wife. See we had never done a whole family trip to WDW. We had 2 great days in WDW. Mom had a ECV and off we went, Dinner at the CRT (it was the most food she had eaten since she stared treatment it was great to see, Halloween Party it was great. Mom rode the Peter Pan ride got to hear her grand kids laugh watching the Philharmagic. She fell getting off the Peter Pan ride but she was OK. (or so we thought) Sept. 19th we had a great day in EPCOT. Dinner time we headed over to Cape May. Mom was really looking forward to it and we had scheduled a surprise a fire works cruise. We sat down for dinner so excited and all of a sudden my Mom did not know where she was or who we were. We had to call an ambulance. The cancer had spread to the brain worse that anyone knew. She suffered a few massive seizures at the hospital. She spent the next month in ORMC/MD Anderson. My brother and I took turns flying down and staying while they did radiation for the brain. The care that my mom received in the hospitals there was amazing. Nothing worked the Dr. told me take her home it was time. We air ambulance her home she lasted until Thanksgiving day. She passed away peacefully in a hospice. I take tremendous comfort knowing the last time my moms feet touched the ground was in the Magic Kingdom. We buried her in her red Mickey Crocs. Disney was absolutely amazing with my family and the situation and I loved Disney before but now I forever a fan because of the respect and care they showed for my family during that time was unbelievable. Mom was only 64. I returned to Disney a year later with my best friend and I left the card from her funeral on the Peter Pan ride. Just to put a little piece of mom where she last was and the happiest she was before she left us. Thanks for letting me share it has been a rough few days here and I miss her so much.

 

[Disney Dad Canada]

Most of you know my WDW story when it comes to my wife, but here's what I wrote for a WDW memories book

My wife was the huge Disney fan in our house. I think we were one of the few couples that spent more money at the Disney Store before we had kids than afterward. I proposed to her during the intermission of Beauty and the Beast play here in Toronto , over the loud speaker (no pressure). We had a Disney themed wedding, with the head table all wearing personalized mouse ears, and us wearing the bride and groom mouse ears.

My wife was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma, a mole that went bad on her leg, 10 days before the birth of our twins. She fought bravely for over 3 years, eventually succumbing on Oct 16th, 2006.

On April 30th of this year, we took our first family trip to Walt Disney World. As we walked into the park at rope drop it was definitely bittersweet for me. I was so happy to be there, but wished that my wife could have been there with us.

My 5 year old twins, Jessica and Ciara, loved meeting the fairies at Pixie Hollow. When Tinkerbell asked innocently where Mommy was, the girls said the Mommy was up in Heaven. Tinkerbell, to her credit, told my girls to give her hugs and she would fly up to Heaven to give the hugs to Mommy. They were the happiest kids around.

We stayed that night to watch the fireworks, and as part of it Tinkerbell comes down fom the castle. My girls said "Look, she's back from hugging Mommy!!" During he fireworks, as soon as my kids saw three huge heart shaped fireworks they all said "Thanks for the hearts Mommy. We love you."

 

[mommyceratops]

You guys have me bawling. I am in a coffee shop drinking coffee and just crying. What beautiful memories.

I told my DH I don't want a funeral I want my family to go to Disney.

Thanks for sharing your stories.

 

[melmar136]

I am in tears reading this thread and believe I found it for a reason. I have never shared my complete story on the boards about the loss of my mom and the Disney connection and I see it would not be considered hijacking here goes: Sorry so long.

March 15, 09 my mother was diagnosed with lung cancer. She was scheduled to go to WDW 3/18/09 but could not, she had to start treatment right away. We promised her that when she was done with chemo and radiation we will all go. The first round of chemo nearly killed her, bad reaction too toxic with the radiation. She survived and was in ICU for 9 days. That was April. She continued on with her treatments. Her treatments would be complete that Sept. They did not work the cancer spread everywhere. The trip was booked for Sept. 17th. The Dr.said "GO do not cancel" Mom was sick but agreed with the Dr. and refused to cancel. Off we went.We flew from Long Island, Me, DH, my kids ds 6 dd4, ds4, and my brother and his wife. See we had never done a whole family trip to WDW. We had 2 great days in WDW. Mom had a ECV and off we went, Dinner at the CRT (it was the most food she had eaten since she stared treatment it was great to see, Halloween Party it was great. Mom rode the Peter Pan ride got to hear her grand kids laugh watching the Philharmagic. She fell getting off the Peter Pan ride but she was OK. (or so we thought) Sept. 19th we had a great day in EPCOT. Dinner time we headed over to Cape May. Mom was really looking forward to it and we had scheduled a surprise a fire works cruise. We sat down for dinner so excited and all of a sudden my Mom did not know where she was or who we were. We had to call an ambulance. The cancer had spread to the brain worse that anyone knew. She suffered a few massive seizures at the hospital. She spent the next month in ORMC/MD Anderson. My brother and I took turns flying down and staying while they did radiation for the brain. The care that my mom received in the hospitals there was amazing. Nothing worked the Dr. told me take her home it was time. We air ambulance her home she lasted until Thanksgiving day. She passed away peacefully in a hospice. I take tremendous comfort knowing the last time my moms feet touched the ground was in the Magic Kingdom. We buried her in her red Mickey Crocs. Disney was absolutely amazing with my family and the situation and I loved Disney before but now I forever a fan because of the respect and care they showed for my family during that time was unbelievable. Mom was only 64. I returned to Disney a year later with my best friend and I left the card from her funeral on the Peter Pan ride. Just to put a little piece of mom where she last was and the happiest she was before she left us. Thanks for letting me share it has been a rough few days here and I miss her so much.

Such nice stories here, and amazing how many people it seems want to go to Disney one last time once they know they are dying. My mom did the same. She was diagnosed on Valentine's Day in 2003, also with lung cancer. She was only 56. We had always made family trips together to Disney, and she and my step-father were DVC members. One year, we went 3 times! Some of our best memories were there. On my DD's 1st trip, at 2, we were headed back on the little boat from the HDDR, and the fireworks started at MK. The captain stopped the boat, asking if anyone had a problem with waiting while we all got to watch the fireworks. Of course, no one minded, and we had a wonderful view! My DD turned to my mom, and with her eyes lit up in wonder, said,"Oh, thank you Grammy!!!" like my mom had planned the whole thing just for her. And, if my mom could have, she would have! Still one of my favorites memories.
Well, once my mom found out she was sick, she booked us all a trip down, 2 months after she was diagnosed. She had been undergoing radiation, and one round of chemo, and was tired, and nervous about being more open to germs, but off we went, with my mom wearing a mask on the plane, and still chatting up her seatmates about her wonderful grand-daughter and Disney! We stayed "in style" at the GF, and we did a few days at Vero Beach afterwards. She was too worn out to go to the parks much, but sent us off to have fun. We'd come back and she would show us happily, all of the pictures she'd taken at the resort during the day. She was like a little kid exclaming over how she saw a bride go by in "Cinderella's coach" next door.
I'm so glad we had the chance to take this trip because only 5 months after she was diagnosed, and 3 months after our trip, my mom died. It's been almost 8 years, and while it does get better, I still miss her every day. Planning trips now, with my DD can be bittersweet. But I know that my mom would be happy that we continue to visit where we had some great memories, and I can continue making those with my own DD. Thanks for starting this board, and giving all of us the chance to tell our own stories. to all of you!

 

[miprender]

DisneyDadCanada and others thank you for sharing your stories.

When I was 15 my dad was diagnosed with Pancreatic (sp) cancer and when he and my mom knew the treatments were not working he wanted one more trip to Disney. We went in Feb,1989 and one thing he always wanted to do was ride Space Mtn. That was his only request as had never ridden it. And boy did he love it.

He died a few months later but everytime I ride Space Mtn I always think of him.

 

[shellynn24]

Thanks for sharing your stories. I am now sitting at work crying...such happy/sad memories.

 

[WaltD4Me]

Not looking to hijack anyones thread but disney dad inspired me toshare my own story.



When me and my sister were younger my parents always felt that rather than buy big expensive presenst at christmas and birthdays, it would be better to take us to orlando every year and allow us to make memories that would last much longer than any toy.

So every year we travelled from Northern Ireland to orlando and had a great time.

However in 2000 my mum was diagnosed with cancer at just 9 I didn't really understand what this was and how sick mum would truly get.

Despite this mum decided that we would go on one final trip to orlando and celebrate our normal lives before they were turned upside down.

Our trip was planned to start on sat 14th september 2001, I was in school at the time when we learnt of the attacks and we truly believed that we would have to cancel our trip but through some miracle we got to take our trip.

Our final night at Disney my whole family were watching the fireworks show, which I believe was fantasy in the sky, when all of a sudden my mum leans over to me and my sister and tells us that no matter what happens after this we should always remember this moment and know that she would be with us forever.



When we came home from our trip and things got bad with surgery and chemotherapy and radiotherapy my mum wrote my dad a letter for their anniversary saying that she would always keep that moment in her heart and that she knew if anything happened to her we would be fine with dad.



My mum passed away 4 years ago this april.


After it happened we were all so depressed and down. But my dad discovered that in a savings account with his name on it my mum had been putting away money with the intent that it be used to take ourselves back to orlando.



That is exactly what we did and on the last night of our trip we were watching the fireworks show and i looked over at my dad and saw he had tears rolling down his cheeks and he was holding the letter my mum wrote for him. He was trying to hide it but even though I saw him I have never told him because I knew he was having a private moment.

We have continued the tradition every year and we never feel more joy or connection to our mum than when we are in Disney world.

This truly touched my heart. Your mom sounds like a very, very special lady.

 

[Iggipolka]

I have a slightly different spin on the Death and Disney connection. My wife's father died 4 years ago in West Palm Beach and we spent a very difficult two weeks with him semi-conscious in hospice at the hospital. He did let go and transition very early on May 5th and we had the funeral on May 7th.

We were going to fly home to California on May 9th, but the morning of the 8th, my wife said to me "I want to go to Disney World". Well, we were in Florida anyway and had already taken bereavement leave from work, so why not. I called Disney Reservations and we got in at Pop for a week starting the very next day.

It was an emotional up and down trip. We had fun moments and moments where we needed to sit and cry. We didn't tell anyone where we were, because we were afraid of being judged, but this was the healing that my wife needed. We still refer to it as the Daddy Died Disney Trip and I'm so glad that we went.

 

[pal-mickey]

Thank you all for sharing such beautiful stories.

 

[michelleiada]

Such beautiful and sad stories. I know that if I were diagnosed with a devastating illness, Disney is where I would want to spend my final days with the ones that I love.