Wednesday, August 9, 2006
Some Sad News Today....
I was just informed yesterday that a client of mine, Renee Pagel, was found murdered in her home in Grand Rapids over the weekend.
At this point in the blog, I feel at a loss for words. What more is there to say? What a horrible, horrible, tragedy. I had just taken photos of her and her 3 children in May and now she is gone. She was just recovering from an ugly divorce with her husband and was getting back on her feet. Her children obviously adored her and she *lived* for them, which was very evident as I took their photos -- her love for her children was extremely visible...it poured from her very being. She was an amazing woman - dedicated to her job and her children, giving and funny, with a permanent smile on her face. At the time of her murder, she was resting at home after donating a kidney to one of her student's parents. Can you imagine?
I am full of questions. Why her? What will her children do without their mother? How will her youngest understand? What went through her mind in her last moments? Who will her eldest daughter turn to as she faces her tumultous pre-teen years? How will it affect them to know that their mother was murdered? Possibly by someone they knew?? Yesterday, today... I think about this almost non-stop - my mind just can't wrap itself around something so horrible. And my words don't pay her nearly enough of the tribute that this remarkable woman deserves.
I AM thankful that I was able to take their photographs for them. Those photos are most likely the last photos that they had of all of them together and I am hoping that their her children will treasure them as their last visible reminder of their mother and her love for them.
If you want to read more about it, you can check out the articles in the Grand Rapids Press here: http://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?sconfig=mlive&xpath.attraction_type=-EXCLUDE+-exclude+-zzz&xpath.pubdate=08%2F09%2F06+08%2F08%2F06+08%2F07%2F06+08%2F06%2F06+08%2F05%2F06+08%2F04%2F06+08%2F03%2F06+08%2F02%2F06+08%2F01%2F06+07%2F31%2F06+07%2F30%2F06+07%2F29%2F06+07%2F28%2F06+07%2F27%2F06&count=20&xref=6&xpath.any=renee+pagel&x=26&y=8
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4 comments:
Oh Tammi! How horrible! Do they expect her X? Something like this is almost impossible to understand, and we cannot come up with any reasonable explanation. I'm so sorry for her family and will pray for them. You try not to worry much, grab your boys and hug them tight! I'm here if you want to talk! Love you
Renee was died in Rockford not Grand Rapids. She lived around the corner from me. There are no individuals in custodey at this time. The police are not saying much at this time either.
who's aaron??
Anyway, I know she died in Rockford, but I always consider Rockford, Sparta, Ada and surrounding areas as part of the larger Grand Rapids metropolitan area. There are not any individuals in custody at this time, true...but there is a few that are strongly suspected - the police just need a smoking gun to prove their guilt.
Who are you again??
Tammi,
I am a former MSU student who went to graduate school with her. She all that you said at least. I think she is the closest thing to a saint that I have ever met and probably ever will. I was also kind of obsessed with her death, the kids, the rotten divorce, how these kids can somehow retain the beauty, kindness and sense of humor that their Mom had. I couldn't sleep for a long time. I look forward to the arrest of the murderer. I pray for the kids sake it was not a family member. I pray for those kids who start school tomorrow. I also have a broken heart for her father who found her. MEY
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