This here is the true life story of the picture above which appeared in the sky above my house. This picture and story may NOT be copied or duplicated in any manner without my permission. This is here for your enjoyment.

A Cross for D.D.

11-year-old dies after cancer battle

By: Chris Jenkins, Editor of the Gaylord Herald Times

Gaylord -- The battle had been a long, drawn out one for an 11-year-old girl. And then on Sept. 25th, came an answer in the blue of an extraordinary autumn sky. To the passerby who was not searching for answers, it may have looked like little more than criss-crossed jet trails with a wisp of a cloud floating nearby.

But to a weary, faith-filled child, her prayer friend and her family, it was God's answer: A white cross, a floating spirit, promised healing would come soon for Doris "D.D." Day.

It came on Oct. 12, said D.D.'s mother, Doris. After an 18-month battle, D.D. died Tuesday - her longed-for healing would come in heaven.

"We were shocked Tuesday was the day," Doris said. "We still had lots of hope. We were thinking maybe we are going to get that miracle. She needed to be healed in heaven or healed on Earth. We let her know its OK to die; we lover her here on Earth and would love for her to stay, but her grandparents, little brother loved her and were waiting for her (in heaven), too, if it was God's will to let her go."

And it was.

Doris had seen the cross in the sky Sept. 25th, not long after doctors had said there was nothing more they could do for her brave daughter. For a week D.D. had been moved to the couch in the living room where she was more comfortable, her tiny body growing weaker and more frail by the day.

D.D.'s 61-year-old neighbor Fred Baker, who had become her prayer buddy, was with her praying. He'd earlier asked her if she had a crucifix. He'd told her he'd buy her one to wear, that she could be buried with it if she wanted.

That Saturday afternoon they prayed with one another. "We prayed just that the Lord would take care of her, not healing so much, that He would ease her pain." Baker asked the child to pray for him, too.

"No more had we finished, we looked out the window and here was this cross in the sky," said Baker. "It blew my mind." D.D., her mother, her father, Marvin, Baker's wife, and another person in the room saw it, too.

"It looked to me like God gave her her crucifix," said baker, who will be one of the pall bearers at D.D.'s funeral today.

D.D. was "amazed" at the sight, said Doris, and her big eyes grew even bigger. To her daughter, it was a sign healing would come.

"I think it meant 'soon'," Doris said. "I didn't know which way it meant. I was, 'OK, what does it mean?' I hope it gave D.D. some comfort."

Baker believes firmly it was a sign meant only for D.D., and one which the rest of the world would not believe. "It was something that was meant for D.D.," said Baker. A Catholic, Baker said he's never believed in outward signs, but relied on believing "without God throwing the kitchen sink at me." At a retreat this past weekend, he talked with a priest about the cross in the sky. "He said don't underestimate God, especially when it comes to children, because sometimes for a little child whom He loves so much, He will give them an outward sign... A child almost expects it."

Now Baker believes "God said, this is for you, Honey."

Even before her diagnosis, Baker, like hundreds of others, befriended D.D., the girl with the irresistible smile and open heart.

Doris believes her sixth-grade daughter realized in her heart she had become an inspiration to a community which enveloped her with love and gave her strength. "She touched a lot of hearts."

Weak as she was, D.D. made it to Gaylord's Sept. 18th American Cancer Society Relay for Life event where her community raised more than $100,000 to fight diseases like the one she battled. She was bummed she couldn't run around herself, but she did enjoy that Saturday. She was having fun with the attention," said Doris.

Until the Day she died, D.D. was surrounded by people whose hearts she had touched. "We had probably 15 to 20 people here a day to show how much they loved her," said Doris, "keeping her going. It was just wonderful -- friends, school teachers, people from the Country Attic would keep her up with the Beanies...They gave her a lot of hope, we all did I guess. She looked forward to her company and got mad if she was sleeping and I didn't wake her up when her company was here. I'd say 'D.D., you need to rest.'

"She was alert to the end. She was so brave. I just admire her. In a way, I wish she was a little child, but after a year and a half of cancer, it was like dealing with an adult. Her maturity level was way beyond a child. That's why we had to tell her everything. We couldn't keep that from her."

D.D. was determined, and she fought to the end, her mother said.

"She never complained much. She wasn't a whiny child," even after they returned in September after being told she didn't have much longer to live. She swore off pills that were like an oral chemotherapy that might slow things down, Doris said. "It must have been acceptance," she said.

"She was so mature, so brave. She never said 'Mommy, I hurt'," though the grimaces on her face told otherwise.

"A couple of weeks ago when we told her this could happen, we told her it was OK...we had to explain, don't hang on for us if your body, if your soul is telling you you can't..."

The last six months of her illness, D.D. had become more focused on faith. "She had her way," said Doris, who said her daughter had gone to church several weeks ago and upon her return reported she'd been saved, "out of the blue. It was what she felt she needed to do."

In her last days, anytime someone picked her up, D.D. latched her arms around their shoulders, giving them that big bear hug.

In her last minutes, her family assured her "If God's calling you, go ahead and go."

Finally, she did.

Amid the Beanie Babies and Barbie dolls, amid the stuffed animals and toothy smiles, the fabulous Make A Wish trip to Disney World in August and community support, D.D. and her family found blessings, said Doris.

"D.D. wants us to remember that she did it her way, it was 'my way or no way,' on her terms, her turf, her way...that's how D.D. was," said her mother.

Convinced she is in heaven, Baker said those she touched are better for knowing her. "I think God put her on Earth for 11 years, no more. I think she accomplished what God wanted her to do."

A complete Obituary follows this since it appeared in the paper the same day.

Doris "D.D." Day, 11, died Tuesday, Oct. 12, 1999 at her home in Gaylord. Funeral services will be held Saturday, Oct. 16th at 10 a.m. at the Grace Baptist Church in Gaylord. Pastor Jon Jenkins will officiate. Interment will be in Fairview Cemetery, Mancelona.

D.D. was born Aug. 3, 1988 in Petoskey, the daughter of Marvin and Doris (Vandergriff) Day. She was a member of Grace Baptist Church in Gaylord. D.D. enjoyed Beanie Babies, Barbie dolls, and Lions. She loved animals. For the last two years, she was involved with the Relay for Life in Gaylord. The first year she was sponsered by Georgia-Pacific of Gaylord and her slogan was "G.P. for D.D." This year she was sponsored by Mayfair Plastics of Gaylord.

D.D. is survived by her parents, Marvin and Doris Day of Gaylord; one sister, Kimberly (Brett) Rutherford of Springfield, Ill.; three brothers, Jesse (Katherine) Day, Jason (Andrea) Day and Andrew Day, all of Gaylord; her maternal grandparents, Bud and Nancy Brown of Mancelona; a niece, Marissa Day of Gaylord; as well as numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. She was preceded in death by one brother; two grandfathers; four Great-grandmothers; four great grand-fathers; two uncles; one aunt; and numerous cousins.

The family recieved friends on Thursday from 3 to 9 p.m. and Friday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Paullin-Penzien Funeral Home in Mancelona. Memorials may be made to Mercy Amicare Hospice of Grayling or the Make A Wish Foundation.