AN IMPORTANT UPDATE: For those of you who have followed Holli’s incredible journey and checked back for news, it is with profound sadness and a heavy heart that I share the news of her passing. Our sweet Holli concluded her courageous earthly battle against painful terminal cancer on April 2, 2021. Holli lived a life overflowing with unwavering faith, profound testimony, and boundless love for God. It felt both bittersweet and beautifully poignant that she departed this world on Good Friday, just days before the celebration of Easter.
The heartbreak of the days since her passing is impossible to fully articulate. Her loving husband and six beautiful children now face a new and challenging reality. Yet, even amidst their deep sorrow, Holli’s family has found immense comfort and strength in the knowledge that she is finally free from pain and suffering. They cling steadfastly to the assurance that they are not alone, that God is intimately aware of their struggle, that He will provide strength, and that they will most certainly be reunited with Holli again.
We are deeply touched by the overwhelming support you have shown Holli and her family, both through your comments on this post and through other thoughtful gestures. Her sister and I had the privilege of reading your heartfelt messages to Holli as they came in. Each comment brought tears to her eyes as so many of you openly shared your own personal challenges. She was truly astonished that over a thousand of you chose to undertake something difficult in her honor. This outpouring of love and solidarity touched her in ways words cannot convey, providing her with a profound sense of peace during her final days. She found solace in the thought that her life and unwavering example might have possibly inspired others and, in some meaningful way, contributed to changing lives for the better.
Holli, we love you beyond measure. Life will truly never be the same without your vibrant spirit. Your memory will forever be a beacon of strength and faith.
——–
Finding Strength in Adversity: A Tribute to Holli’s Enduring Spirit and Our Shared Journey
Today, I’m taking a heartfelt departure from my usual culinary adventures and recipes. We’re diving straight into a topic that has been deeply weighing on my heart and mind, a reflection I feel compelled to share with you, my cherished readers. This isn’t a typical “Monday Thoughts” post; it’s something far more personal and profoundly important.
Before I delve into my thoughts, I want to introduce you to someone extraordinary. Someone who has shaped my understanding of resilience, faith, and the power of the human spirit.
Her name is Holli. She is not just a friend; she is, without exaggeration, a soul sister to me. In all my years of blogging, dedicating an entire post to a real, living person is unprecedented. I’ve written about the perfect chocolate chip cookies, shared random musings on a Friday, but rarely about the truly special human beings who grace our lives. Today is different.
Today, I genuinely need your help. More importantly, Holli needs your help. But please know, this might not be the kind of “help” you immediately imagine. If you can spare a few minutes, please stay with me as I share her story, followed by a very special request. And here’s a crucial spoiler alert: this request has absolutely nothing to do with money.
Holli’s Unyielding Spirit: A Life Defined by Joy and Struggle
Our story began six years ago when my family and I moved from Minnesota to Idaho. That’s when I met Holli. From the moment we connected, her vibrant personality shone through. She is spirited, witty, and possesses a truly hilarious sense of humor. Beyond her infectious joy, Holli is a relentless truth-seeker and a passionate fighter for justice. She is an incredible mother to six wildly wonderful children, nurturing them with unwavering love and dedication. Her life is a testament to selfless service, constantly uplifting those around her. To know Holli is, quite simply, to love her.
Yet, beneath all of Holli’s remarkable qualities and incredible strength, she has navigated a life filled with unimaginable challenges. While not all details are mine to share, suffice it to say, her journey has been anything but easy. She has endured intense battles with infertility, embraced the beautiful complexities of adoption, faced countless (and I mean truly countless) surgeries for debilitating health issues related to colitis, weathered job stresses, and the list, unfortunately, goes on.
What truly sets Holli apart is that most people remain unaware of the depth of her struggles. She belongs to that rare and inspiring category of individuals: the Fiercely Independent Non-Complainer. Honestly, if I didn’t adore her so much, her complete refusal to complain might almost be annoying! She possesses an unparalleled ability to fight through immense pain and struggle, far beyond what most of us could comprehend. And yet, despite her own burdens, she always lends a patient ear when I vent about my pigs escaping or my cookies burning. That, my friends, is the mark of a truly good friend.
The Unforeseen Battle: Holli’s Fight Against Cancer
Approximately a year and a half ago, on top of all the other trials Holli had bravely faced, a seemingly innocent lump led to an unexpected and utterly devastating diagnosis: stage 4 internal metastatic mucosal melanoma. This aggressive cancer appeared out of nowhere, shattering their family’s world and thrusting them into an unforeseen battle.
The subsequent 15 months were a relentless whirlwind of intense immunotherapy, radiation treatments, exhausting flights to the Mayo Clinic for expert consultations, and countless other medical interventions. Her days were filled with excruciating pain and the indescribable stress and worry that such a diagnosis brings. All of this, while simultaneously nurturing six busy children and navigating their daily emotional needs, which are often complex and demanding.
Through every harrowing step of this journey, Holli remained one of the strongest warriors I have ever witnessed. She powered through horrific treatment side effects that would easily incapacitate the rest of us. She quite literally took on the full-time job of fighting cancer, dedicating every ounce of her energy and will to the battle. Not once did she surrender her hope. She maintained an incredibly strong and abiding faith in a loving God, convinced that He knew her intimately and had a divine plan for her life.
Miraculously, the year 2020 offered Holli a precious period of respite, a window of more than six months free from active progression. This incredible blessing was attributed to a synergistic combination of immunotherapy, dedicated holistic treatments (oh, the stories I could tell involving slippery elm gruel and tinctures!), and a complete and rigorous shift to a sugar-free and vegan diet, transforming her lifestyle entirely.
Then, just last month, things began to tragically unravel for Holli once more. Sudden, severe seizures, multiple emergency room visits, and escalating pain revealed a grim reality: the cancer had ferociously spread throughout her body and tragically into her brain. She no longer has full function of the left side of her body and endures excruciating, nearly constant pain. And still, even in this unimaginable state, she continues to demonstrate more strength in her little pinky finger than I feel I possess in my entire body and soul.
A Call to Action: Embracing Gratitude and Doing Hard Things
Today, more than ever, I felt an overwhelming desire to give back to Holli in some meaningful way. Of course, direct financial support is always a possibility, easily facilitated through their dedicated GoFundMe page. But beyond that, I wanted to do something else—something that spoke to the essence of Holli’s spirit.
Holli has spent her entire lifetime being a source of strength for other people, drawing upon her immense inner fortitude and God-given resilience to conquer her greatest challenges. However, her body is now failing her, and she is no longer able to perform many of the simple daily tasks that you and I probably take for granted without a second thought:
- Folding a basket of clean laundry.
- Braiding her daughter’s hair.
- Taking a leisurely walk around the block.
- Loading the dishwasher after a family meal.
- Sending a quick text message to a friend.
I strongly believe it’s neither healthy nor constructive to compare one person’s challenges to another’s. Hardship, stress, and grief are deeply individual experiences. They are sacred. “Hard is hard,” no matter what specific trials you are navigating or dealing with in your own life. Yet, if Holli’s profound situation has taught me anything, it is to actively search for the good, even on the very worst days; to appreciate the beauty and privilege in the mundane; and most profoundly, to be immensely grateful for each and every precious day we are given.
And this, my dear readers, is precisely where I humbly ask for your help.
Will you join me in doing something special? Something for me, for Holli, and ultimately, for yourself? Will you commit to doing something truly hard today, or at some point this week? Perhaps it’s a task or a challenge you’ve been procrastinating on, something you’ve pushed aside for too long.
It’s vital to remember: what feels “hard” to you may not seem difficult to anyone else, but that truly doesn’t matter. Your life, your journey, and your challenges are uniquely your own.
Consider these ideas, or find your own unique challenge:
- Maybe it’s finally getting off the couch and completing that pesky mile run, even if it’s been years since you last laced up your running shoes.
- Or perhaps it’s picking up the phone to call a family member with whom you haven’t spoken in far too long, mending a gap that has grown.
- Maybe it’s simply taking a moment to be profoundly grateful that you possess the physical ability and motor skills to fold your laundry today, a simple act Holli can no longer perform.
- Or giving your spouse or child a long, meaningful hug, even if you (or they) are feeling prickly, distant, or unlovable in that moment.
- Perhaps it’s finally liberating yourself from those three-sizes-too-small jeans hiding in your closet and investing in a pair that comfortably fits and celebrates your amazing, able body as it is right now.
- Or saying a sincere prayer for the first time in a long time, or perhaps even for the very first time in your life, connecting with a higher power.
If you feel so inclined to share your commitment, please leave a comment on this post. Even if you’re not entirely sure you *can* accomplish it yet, simply writing down your plan in the comments below will signify your intention. Together, we can be strong, drawing strength from one another.
I am personally going to sit by Holli’s bedside and read every single one of your comments aloud to her. I want her to know, unequivocally, that there are people across the world who are profoundly inspired by her story, by her enduring strength, and who are actively embracing “hard things” in her honor.
Holli has always shied away from attention and absolutely detests being a burden or inconvenience to anyone (if you know her in real life, you know just how deeply true this is!). However, she *does* profoundly feel that her life has purpose insofar as it has inspired others to realize that they, too, can face hard things and emerge stronger for having done so. This sense of purpose brought her immense peace.
My personal #BeStrongForHolli goal: My commitment is to finally push through a full 30-minute virtual cycling class without giving up or falling off, and to consciously acknowledge that my body is strong and capable. Additionally, I aim to give each of my children at least three genuine, eight-second hugs today—our home has been filled with contention lately, and I need to be the catalyst for positive change. Love you, Holli.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for allowing me this profound departure from my usual food-focused content today. Your understanding and participation mean the world.
I will leave you with the powerful words from one of Holli’s most cherished songs, which beautifully encapsulates her spirit:
And I, I don’t want to leave a legacy
I don’t care if they remember me
Only Jesus
And I, I’ve only got one life to live
I’ll let every second point to Him
Only Jesus
I truly believe I am blessed with the best readers in the world. Thank you for being here, for your compassion, and for all that each of you does to make this world a kinder, more beautiful place. Your collective spirit is a testament to the good that exists.