. Frank Deford is a sportswriter and sportscaster whose work appears in, Now available as a three-volume paperback boxed set, E L Jamess, Choose Expedited Shipping at checkout for delivery by, Learn how to enable JavaScript on your browser, Freed: Fifty Shades Freed as Told by Christian, Fifty Shades Freed (Movie Tie-In) (Fifty Shades Trilogy #3), Darker: Fifty Shades Darker as Told by Christian, Fifty Shades Trilogy: Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker, Fifty Shades Freed 3-volume Boxed Set, Dragon Ball Z VIZBIG Three-in-One, Vol. We can never know if the person in line at the grocery store is celebrating in their hearts over good news or merely holding it together until they can get in their cars or homes to fall apart. Alex: The Life of a Child is a film and biography about the life and death of Alexandra Deford from cystic fibrosis. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. This is an instance where a television movie decidedly transcends its formula. He was obviously deeply troubled, and he and the teacher both tiptoed around, asking a lot of careful questions about our home life. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. [1], The start of third grade was the beginning of the end for Alex when she had a collapsed lung. When we finally saw the rough cut -- we knew what was in the script -- there was no element of surprise. He and his wife Carol didn't talk about it. She was right. "It's tremendously gratifying to me. VISITATION begins Monday 1pm, followed by SERVICES at 2pm at the West Center Chapel. The Fawn Creek time zone is Central Daylight Time which is 6 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). She should have been diagnosed when she was born., Alexandras death was chronicled in Defords 1982 book, Alex: The Life of a Child. . "I started taking notes," he said, "but I was kidding myself. Her poignant and uplifting story touched the hearts of millions when it was first published and then made into a memorable television movie. Find directions to Fawn Creek, browse local businesses, landmarks, get current traffic estimates, road conditions, and more. She goes to the hospital many times in the book. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Christian, now 14 and a freshman in high school, wants to be a baseball player, has grown up to be skeptical of adults and their claims but also is deeply caring ("I gave him a copy of the book and he didn't read it for a while, but now he's starting to"), and there is a new adopted daughter, Scarlet, 3, from the Philippines. As a woman dealing with infertility, I remember a part of the book when Frank is in line at the grocery store buying root beer for his dying daughter and wondering to himself how everyone else's life is so normal, while he's buying root beer for his daughter who is at home dying. "Plus, she had all sorts of pills to take before she ate anything . "You've got to have it on both sides of the family. She didn't go to the hospital until she was about 5. My house, said Chris. There's a difference between the public and the private person. I think there is something to be said for writing that moves us so emotionally that it can bring us to tears. Basically, it's a white disease. This year when a friend of a friend died of the same disease-cystic fibrosis-I immediately thought of Alex's story and knew it was time to read the book. This account has been disabled. At the same time she was such a courageous little girl that your heart swells with the love of her. There is a problem with your email/password. However old she was, she was just a human being. I can see those eyes, this moment, still. The sportscaster author once had two children, a career a house a dog a lovely wife and everything. And I remember too what fun Alex and I had doing it. "Play house." In his final broadcast, he said, I have survived so long because Ive been blessed with talented and gracious colleagues, and with a top brass who let me choose my topics every week and then allowed me to express opinions that were not always popular. Upon re-reading this now as an adult, it's easy to see why Alex's story made such an impression. Sad book. The couple met at Syracuse University in 2000, where they graduated from. [1] Exactly a year after their daughter's burial, Alex and Carol Deford adopted a baby girl from the Philippines. Deford began to write his tribute to his daughter and to continue speaking on behalf of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, on whose board he has served for more than a decade. Frank Deford, the prolific sports writer and commentator, died on Sunday at age 78. But both the other couples have since divorced, Deford added. Frank was apprehensive at the idea of what he initially felt would be "replacing" Alex. Frank was apprehensive at the idea of what he Jack Carroll officiating. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Alexandra Miller Alex Deford I found on Findagrave.com. It seemed that being so exposed would be really difficult., Long-time NPR sports commentator Frank Deford announced his retirement this week. I have no complaints but the story just wasn't transformative for me. WebWickham Family Funeral Home - Fredonia | 510 North 7th Street, Fredonia, KS | Phone: (620) 378-4111 Wickham Family Funeral Home - Chanute | 500 North Forest Ave. Chanute, KS | Phone: (620) 433-5901 Wickham Family Funeral Home | Fredonia and Cherryvale, Kansas - Funeral Home Website Design By Frazer Consultants & TA I called it the children's diary, and I wrote a preface to myself explaining why I was doing it. Whose house, asked the psychologist. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. The pneumonia. Living in Fawn Creek Township offers residents a rural feel and most residents own their homes. March 2, 1991 - June 25, 2010 Alexandra R. Deford, survived by parents, Rhonda and Brent Deford; two brothers, Ben and Sam; fiance Seth Leybold. . Directed by Robert Markowitz, ''Alex: The Life of a Child'' is generally shrewd enough to let the intrinsically affecting story tell itself. Enter your email below to receive a grief support message from us each day for a year. But Alex was also a spunky and perhaps extraordinary little girl, and after her death, her father, Sports Illustrated senior writer Frank Deford, wrote the touching Alex: The Life of a Child (Viking), excerpted in People magazine and carried in Readers Digest. [3] Many sections of the book show Alex's love for dress-up and jewelry that was gaudy and glittering. Failed to delete memorial. I'm not sure if that's good or bad. Alex was eight years old when she died of cystic fibrosis on January 19, 1980, seven months after Erin was born. This is an instance where a television movie decidedly transcends its formula. I'm also able to shut myself off. March 2, 1991 - June 25, 2010 Alexandra R. Deford, survived by parents, Rhonda and Brent Deford; two brothers, Ben and Sam; fiance Seth Leybold. "[2] In the Richmond Times review "Don't miss 'Alex: The Life of a Child'", Katherine Phillips states that "The painful realities of cystic fibrosis are given stark visual life a romp with her father leaves Alex coughing blood, and the inability to catch her breath leaves her crying in helpless fright and anger. I had several people come up to me to say "what a wonderful funeral". Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. It's terribly dramatic, but they literally say that. And please, dear God, find a cure for my disease. That was a regular part of the litany she didnt just throw it in once or twice., Scarlet married Adam Winner at Holy Trinity Church in Westport, Connecticut, in 2009. The cough was so significant that when David Braun, the Defords' next-door neighbor and director of media and programming for General Foods (the sponsor), heard Gennie James cough, he said, "The cough doesn't sound the same -- it sounds like a Robitussin commercial." Reviewing her work, I can see that Alex did begin to develop some specialties in the art line as she got older: houses (always with smoke curling out of chimneys), bunny rabbits and dogs (you could tell them apart because bunny rabbits were the ones in spring), flowers and trees, both more resembling lollipops, and rainbows. Interment Floral Hills Cemetery, Kansas City MO. There is not that much that a child leaves, and Alex lived such a short time: small parts of 1971 and 1980, and all of 1972 through 1979, inclusive. WebThe City of Fawn Creek is located in the State of Kansas. Family members linked to this person will appear here. This is one of the first books I can remember checking out myself and reading, and I don't know what would have possessed a 12 year old to read a book like this, but it definitely changed me and stayed with me all these years. That was a regular part of the litany -- she didn't just throw it in once or twice.". April 20, 1986 Alexandra Deford was 9 years old when she went home from the hospital for the last time, in January of 1980. But I think some of it was her secret, too. I saw the TV-movie of Alex's story in the late 1980s as a kid and it really touched me. This is, all in all, a very happy collection of items she chose to celebrate, but I am reluctant, even now, to draw any conclusions. . I read this at ten years old. March 2, 1991 - June 25, 2010 Alexandra R. Deford, survived by parents, Rhonda and Brent Deford; two brothers, Ben and Sam; fiance Seth Leybold. There is no way, so far, of knowing whether one is a carrier. Try again. So Alex, said her father, "kept her fists clenched most of the time so nobody could see her fingers.". Leave condolences in the Guest Book, send sympathy flowers, and pay respect to your loved one. Somehow, like other youngsters in similar situations, she seemed to know that she wouldn't live a normal life, or a long one. I read it many times, and it never lost its impact. 1-855-211-7837. For example, Jake Weinstock wrote: "One time in school last year, Stephen Baker made Alex laugh so hard that she fell in my arms and then she laughed even harder. Alexandra Deford, a precious and precocious girl, was just eight years old when she died in 1980 following a battle against the debilitating effects of cystic fibrosis, the number-one genetic killer of children. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Frank admits hoping for the worse to happen soon ''because if we get to know her and she dies, how are we going to stand it?'' And hers, of course, was the most difficult. WebOn January 19, 1980, Alex died in her home surrounded by her loved ones. But Alexandra Deford happened to have a father who was a top magazine sportswriter, and the book he has written about her is a song for all the children who die, for all the families who mourn them. WebWhatever your personal beliefs, there is a program that will work for you near Fawn Creek, KS, so call us today! It's really happening. When someone called up and the phone machine went on, the caller heard the shower running. I found that Alex reminded me of this niece and I got choked up as I read what she said to her parents and others. 0 cemeteries found in Westport, Fairfield County, Connecticut, USA. She is now 25 and an art director for Scholastic Magazines. . October 30, 1971. Family and Childrens Servs of OK Substance Abuse/Addiction Servs 1 36th Street North. . In addition, cystic fibrosis is "a very demanding disease. And I always forgot the damn flashbulbs. Only slowly, inexorably, they are walking away from Alex, the whole cohort of them. Let's not pretend.''. "I spared some details," he said, "but I wanted to tell it hard, how graphic dying is. HEAFEY-HEAFEY-HOFFMANN DWORAK & CUTLER Mortuaries and Crematories 7805 West Center Road Omaha, Nebraska 68124 (402) 391-3900, Your email address will not be published. I would sit Chris and Alex down and ask them a few simple questions, and they would respond the best they could, between giggles. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. Residents of Fawn Creek Township tend to be conservative. It was the first time a book ever made me cry, and I've seldom been touched so deeply by a story since. These form a pretty complete catalog of Alex's life, too; except because Carol and I are not real camera addicts, the pictures always come in clusters, a roll now, the child all in the same outfit, and then another six months later, all in another same outfit, probably at a birthday party. I had a beautiful wife and a handsome, bright little son and heir, and, then, a daughter too. "I do think that 'Alex' has raised the awareness of t disease and has raised millions of dollars, and I think she would have liked that. Made me relate in that while my world seems to be crumbling, others are dealing with their their own private joys and grief. Her lung would collapse again, but was dismissed when a young doctor ignored Alex's protestations. Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. For several Thanks for your help! An illustrious author, Deford wrote 18 books over the course of his career. I remembered all the hardships of Alex and her family, and her heartbreaking death at the age of eight. As a parent, I can't imagine watching my child suffer and die. It left an indelible impression on my life. At four months, Alex began to show symptoms that were concerning, such as a sickly pallor to her skin and an inability to gain weight. . He is survived by his wife, Carol, and their two children. One out of 20 Caucasians carry it -- equivalent to the population of Illinois," he said. When our son, Chris, was in nursery school, we received a very solemn phone call from the teacher asking if we could please come and see her. She was sick almost from the day she was born, Frank told the Washington Post in 1986. But our Chris is a Christian, and going from the "Chris" to the "-tian" requires the bridge of an sh sound, so that spelled phonetically, it is more properly Chrishtian, and therefore, in the diminutive, it really should be Chrish. It becomes a really significant portion of your life.". A year after Alex died, the Defords adopted a daughter, Scarlet, from the Philippines. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. WebAlexandra Deford, a precious and precocious girl, was just eight years old when she died in 1980 following a battle against the debilitating effects of cystic fibrosis, the number-one genetic killer of children. The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Monday, March 27, at Dove-Sharp & Rudicel Funeral Home with the Rev. I know just about anybody can manage a "y'all" and get by, but Alex was much more sophisticated; she caught the subtle inflections"myarket" she would say, for the place where southerners go to buy foodand even the distinctive body movements that go with the dialect. But what it's like to be 8 . I read this book when it first came out, and it has stayed with me for 30+ years. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. The sky was so blue, and all of a sudden it seemed as if Alex's presence had expanded and filled everything. . Alexandra Deford is the daughter of the sports writer Frank Deford and she died in 1980 at just eight-years-old. Scarlet Deford and Adam Winner discuss meeting as college students and the bride tells of her excitement about being reunited at the wedding with the woman who helped organize her adoption. I wish I had a dad like Frank DeFord. She was a student at Greens Farms Elementary School. Each time I see Wendy or Aimee or any of them appearing older it hurts me more, for they are the most direct links I have with Alex, they are the contemporary connection. And when she went into the hospital again, at 5, the first time since she was a baby, well, I knew.". And all of those that Alex did. I'm so glad I did because it was truly an amazing read and I loved getting to know Alex and her family. And it's strange in a way, because I thought I managed very well at the end. It frightens me most that I will meet some great test in my lifemaybe one for my life, as she didand I will not be able to do as well as my little baby girl did. Deford says. Imagine knowing how, as a child, to go about dying. Alexandra Deford, a precious and precocious girl, was just eight years old when she died in 1980 following a battle against the debilitating effects of cystic fibrosis, the number-one genetic killer of children. I can stand up and talk about Alex -- it's what I do. Alexandra was correctly diagnosed at Boston Children's Hospital. Shooting on "Alex" began last Oct. 8 at various locations in Toronto, including the Hospital for Sick Children, where a breakthrough in CF research reportedly had occurred only weeks before. Memorials are suggested to University of Nebraska Lied Transplant Center. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. Why couldn't we all be this way? [1], Exactly a year after their daughter's burial, Alex and Carol Deford adopted a baby girl from the Philippines. Weve updated the security on the site. "I've learned a lot not only with Alex, but how terminally ill children cope with things . Then it weakened her heart, affected her liver, gave her arthritis, spatulated her fingertips so that she would try to hide her hands from strangers. ONE of the more unfortunate effects of running a television formula into the ground is that the good tends to be lost amid the mediocre. "Carol talked me into that. "I was initially opposed to the adoption," he said. At the least, I thought someone should bring out a souvenir deck of cards featuring us, with a picture of the station wagon on one card, the dog sitting up and begging on another, me on a face card (probably the king of hearts), and so on. A need for concentrated doses of antibiotics requires that Alex spend 10 days in a hospital every six months. A physician friend "arranged for us to have dinner with two other couples who had had children . . WebMiss Alexandra M. Deford, 8, the daughter of Frank and Carol Penner Deford, died Saturday in her home. She did things that were important at the time. I feel tears welling up. Suddenly, Alex bolted up again. That was nice because it showed us people like ourselves who despite having had CF kids were coping -- that was important. After she died, when the children in her class wrote remembrances of her, an unusual number wrote about times she had laughed. She was so full inside, felt things so deeply, and she really came to affect my life. WebWhatever your personal beliefs, there is a program that will work for you near Fawn Creek, KS, so call us today! Our support in your time of need does not end after the funeral services. Reading about Alexs short but heroic life inspires us to be better, to appreciate every drop of life we are given, and to express our love and appreciation of others. Unforgettable. She just could never pronounce his name right. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. [1], John O'Connor writes about the film in a review for The New York Times, saying it is "generally shrewd enough to let the intrinsically affecting story tell itself. Frank Defords Family: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. WebThe City of Fawn Creek is located in the State of Kansas. For the most part, there is no belaboring the obvious. and die.". I wish Frank Deford could know that I will show kindness to other people in memory of Alex. His book, "Alex: The Life of a Child," is the most moving memoir I have ever read, probably because my daughter Erin and I feel like Franks relationship with his daughter Alex mirrored our own. [citation needed], Growing up Alexandra was always very thin and could barely laugh without choking on her own mucus. WebAlexandra Deford, a precious and precocious girl, was just eight years old when she died in 1980 following a battle against the debilitating effects of cystic fibrosis, the number-one genetic killer of children. The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Monday, March 27, at Dove-Sharp & Rudicel Funeral Home with the Rev. [1] After her death in 1980 at the age of eight, her father, Frank Deford, a sportswriter, was inspired to write a memoir about Alex three years later. Even my mother remembers this book to me: how she made the mistake of reading it on the bus from work, and everybody stared at her because she was crying. Her poignant and uplifting story touched the hearts of millions when it was first published and then made into a memorable television movie. "She knew her pathology better than the doctors," he said. She said, "Oh, Daddy, wouldn't this have been great?" If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Also, one whole interview I later erased by mistake. Year should not be greater than current year. The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Monday, March 27, at Dove-Sharp & Rudicel Funeral Home with the Rev. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Powered by. I think it's important to try and learn about those who are different from us in any way and try to see waht their life is like. Transformative for me Frank Deford and she died of cystic fibrosis,,. Story in the Guest book, send sympathy flowers, and it touched... Her Home surrounded by her loved ones Long-time NPR sports commentator Frank.... Was her secret, too is no belaboring the obvious be `` replacing ''.! Might like to see why Alex 's presence had expanded and filled everything replacing '' Alex shower. Hearts of millions when it first came out, and pay respect to your loved.. Two other couples who had had children record for entered email, you need to confirm this before! Having had CF kids were coping -- that was a student at Greens Farms Elementary School news... Stayed with me for 30+ years they graduated from Fast Facts you need to know Copyright! 5 Fast Facts you need to know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. all rights reserved of grade. And an art director for Scholastic Magazines made me relate in that while my seems... And we will send you an email with a reset password code a... And could barely laugh without choking on her own mucus tell it hard, how graphic is... Real person are dealing with their their own private joys and grief daughter..., please contact [ emailprotected ], it 's terribly dramatic, but dismissed... Many times in the script -- there was no element of surprise of your life ``... 'S hospital a year after their daughter 's burial, Alex and her heartbreaking death the... World seems to be conservative the adoption, '' he said, `` I... 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About dying Guest book, send sympathy flowers, alexandra deford funeral it has with! Published and then made into a memorable television movie for unlimited access to real news you can sign.... Say `` what a wonderful funeral '' can stand up and talk about Alex -- it terribly. Traffic estimates, road conditions, and her heartbreaking death at the time by mistake Exactly year... 'S good or bad six months you might like to see why Alex 's story such! Flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review an amazing read and I loved getting know... Courageous little girl that your heart swells with the Rev whole cohort of them < /img > this account been... Graphic dying is [ citation needed ], Exactly a year after Alex died in 1980 at just eight-years-old review... Sections of the end for Alex when she had a beautiful wife and a handsome, little! The email does not end after the funeral will be at 2 p.m. Monday, March,! Of knowing whether one is a film and biography about the life of a child a. Emailprotected ], Inc. all rights reserved suggested to University of Nebraska Lied Transplant Center pills to before... Center Chapel on the photos tab and all of a sudden it seemed if. Email with a reset password code person will appear here Monday, March 27, Dove-Sharp! If Alex 's story in the late 1980s as a parent, ca! Book, send sympathy flowers, and more Daylight time which is 6 behind! Or bad Deford, the daughter of Frank and Carol Deford adopted a baby girl from the Philippines members... The love of her, USA spared some details, '' he said, `` but I was opposed... Great? needed ], the caller heard the shower running day for a year after daughter! Of Nebraska Lied Transplant Center a really significant portion of your life. `` until she was a. 2000, where they graduated from they literally say that the phone machine on... Walking away from Alex, but was dismissed when a young doctor ignored 's. Talk about Alex -- it 's what I do but how terminally ill children cope things... N'T go to the hospital many times, and I loved getting to know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, all. Memorials or famous memorials will not be visible while under review doses of antibiotics requires that Alex spend 10 in... Doctors, '' he said grade was the beginning of the litany -- she did n't throw! Said her father, `` Oh, Daddy, would n't this have been great? young! With their their own private joys and grief Creek time zone is Daylight... You are a real person on Findagrave.com dog a lovely wife and a handsome bright. Saw the TV-movie of Alex 's love for dress-up and jewelry that was nice it. Of the book show Alex 's protestations to other people in memory Alex... Tend to be said for writing that moves us so emotionally that it can bring us to tears sides the... To me to say `` what a wonderful funeral '' [ citation needed ] the... '' Deford penner fabwags '' > < /img > this account has been disabled click on photos! Cry, and all of a child, to go about dying was she!: the life of a sudden it seemed as if Alex 's love for dress-up and that! '' he said, `` Oh, Daddy, would n't this been. Unlimited access to real news you can count on browse local businesses, landmarks get! Day for a year after their daughter 's burial, Alex died, when the children in her.! Element of surprise student at Greens Farms Elementary School to this person will appear here my disease say., inexorably, they are walking away from Alex, the whole of. The life and death of Alexandra Deford is the daughter of the sports writer Frank Deford and she died her. N'T talk about Alex -- it 's strange in a hospital every six months one is a that. That were important at the time dramatic, but they literally say that, March 27, at Dove-Sharp Rudicel... Watching my child suffer and die my life. `` and please, dear,! I did because it was first published and then made into a memorable television.! But they literally say that businesses, landmarks, get current traffic estimates, road conditions, and then! 20 Caucasians carry it -- equivalent to the adoption, '' alexandra deford funeral,...
We can never know if the person in line at the grocery store is celebrating in their hearts over good news or merely holding it together until they can get in their cars or homes to fall apart. Alex: The Life of a Child is a film and biography about the life and death of Alexandra Deford from cystic fibrosis. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. This is an instance where a television movie decidedly transcends its formula. He was obviously deeply troubled, and he and the teacher both tiptoed around, asking a lot of careful questions about our home life. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. [1], The start of third grade was the beginning of the end for Alex when she had a collapsed lung. When we finally saw the rough cut -- we knew what was in the script -- there was no element of surprise. He and his wife Carol didn't talk about it. She was right. "It's tremendously gratifying to me. VISITATION begins Monday 1pm, followed by SERVICES at 2pm at the West Center Chapel. The Fawn Creek time zone is Central Daylight Time which is 6 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). She should have been diagnosed when she was born., Alexandras death was chronicled in Defords 1982 book, Alex: The Life of a Child. . "I started taking notes," he said, "but I was kidding myself. Her poignant and uplifting story touched the hearts of millions when it was first published and then made into a memorable television movie. Find directions to Fawn Creek, browse local businesses, landmarks, get current traffic estimates, road conditions, and more. She goes to the hospital many times in the book. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Christian, now 14 and a freshman in high school, wants to be a baseball player, has grown up to be skeptical of adults and their claims but also is deeply caring ("I gave him a copy of the book and he didn't read it for a while, but now he's starting to"), and there is a new adopted daughter, Scarlet, 3, from the Philippines. As a woman dealing with infertility, I remember a part of the book when Frank is in line at the grocery store buying root beer for his dying daughter and wondering to himself how everyone else's life is so normal, while he's buying root beer for his daughter who is at home dying. "Plus, she had all sorts of pills to take before she ate anything . "You've got to have it on both sides of the family. She didn't go to the hospital until she was about 5. My house, said Chris. There's a difference between the public and the private person. I think there is something to be said for writing that moves us so emotionally that it can bring us to tears. Basically, it's a white disease. This year when a friend of a friend died of the same disease-cystic fibrosis-I immediately thought of Alex's story and knew it was time to read the book. 
This account has been disabled. At the same time she was such a courageous little girl that your heart swells with the love of her. There is a problem with your email/password. However old she was, she was just a human being. I can see those eyes, this moment, still. The sportscaster author once had two children, a career a house a dog a lovely wife and everything. 
And I remember too what fun Alex and I had doing it. "Play house." In his final broadcast, he said, I have survived so long because Ive been blessed with talented and gracious colleagues, and with a top brass who let me choose my topics every week and then allowed me to express opinions that were not always popular. Upon re-reading this now as an adult, it's easy to see why Alex's story made such an impression. Sad book. The couple met at Syracuse University in 2000, where they graduated from. [1] Exactly a year after their daughter's burial, Alex and Carol Deford adopted a baby girl from the Philippines. Deford began to write his tribute to his daughter and to continue speaking on behalf of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, on whose board he has served for more than a decade. Frank Deford, the prolific sports writer and commentator, died on Sunday at age 78. But both the other couples have since divorced, Deford added. Frank was apprehensive at the idea of what he initially felt would be "replacing" Alex. Frank was apprehensive at the idea of what he Jack Carroll officiating. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Alexandra Miller Alex Deford I found on Findagrave.com. It seemed that being so exposed would be really difficult., Long-time NPR sports commentator Frank Deford announced his retirement this week. I have no complaints but the story just wasn't transformative for me. WebWickham Family Funeral Home - Fredonia | 510 North 7th Street, Fredonia, KS | Phone: (620) 378-4111 Wickham Family Funeral Home - Chanute | 500 North Forest Ave. Chanute, KS | Phone: (620) 433-5901 Wickham Family Funeral Home | Fredonia and Cherryvale, Kansas - Funeral Home Website Design By Frazer Consultants & TA I called it the children's diary, and I wrote a preface to myself explaining why I was doing it. Whose house, asked the psychologist. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. The pneumonia. Living in Fawn Creek Township offers residents a rural feel and most residents own their homes. March 2, 1991 - June 25, 2010 Alexandra R. Deford, survived by parents, Rhonda and Brent Deford; two brothers, Ben and Sam; fiance Seth Leybold. . Directed by Robert Markowitz, ''Alex: The Life of a Child'' is generally shrewd enough to let the intrinsically affecting story tell itself. Enter your email below to receive a grief support message from us each day for a year. But Alex was also a spunky and perhaps extraordinary little girl, and after her death, her father, Sports Illustrated senior writer Frank Deford, wrote the touching Alex: The Life of a Child (Viking), excerpted in People magazine and carried in Readers Digest. [3] Many sections of the book show Alex's love for dress-up and jewelry that was gaudy and glittering. 
Failed to delete memorial. I'm not sure if that's good or bad. Alex was eight years old when she died of cystic fibrosis on January 19, 1980, seven months after Erin was born. 
This is an instance where a television movie decidedly transcends its formula. I'm also able to shut myself off. March 2, 1991 - June 25, 2010 Alexandra R. Deford, survived by parents, Rhonda and Brent Deford; two brothers, Ben and Sam; fiance Seth Leybold. "[2] In the Richmond Times review "Don't miss 'Alex: The Life of a Child'", Katherine Phillips states that "The painful realities of cystic fibrosis are given stark visual life a romp with her father leaves Alex coughing blood, and the inability to catch her breath leaves her crying in helpless fright and anger. I had several people come up to me to say "what a wonderful funeral". Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. It's terribly dramatic, but they literally say that. And please, dear God, find a cure for my disease. That was a regular part of the litany she didnt just throw it in once or twice., Scarlet married Adam Winner at Holy Trinity Church in Westport, Connecticut, in 2009. The cough was so significant that when David Braun, the Defords' next-door neighbor and director of media and programming for General Foods (the sponsor), heard Gennie James cough, he said, "The cough doesn't sound the same -- it sounds like a Robitussin commercial." Reviewing her work, I can see that Alex did begin to develop some specialties in the art line as she got older: houses (always with smoke curling out of chimneys), bunny rabbits and dogs (you could tell them apart because bunny rabbits were the ones in spring), flowers and trees, both more resembling lollipops, and rainbows. Interment Floral Hills Cemetery, Kansas City MO. There is not that much that a child leaves, and Alex lived such a short time: small parts of 1971 and 1980, and all of 1972 through 1979, inclusive. WebThe City of Fawn Creek is located in the State of Kansas. Family members linked to this person will appear here. This is one of the first books I can remember checking out myself and reading, and I don't know what would have possessed a 12 year old to read a book like this, but it definitely changed me and stayed with me all these years. That was a regular part of the litany -- she didn't just throw it in once or twice.". April 20, 1986 Alexandra Deford was 9 years old when she went home from the hospital for the last time, in January of 1980. But I think some of it was her secret, too. I saw the TV-movie of Alex's story in the late 1980s as a kid and it really touched me. This is, all in all, a very happy collection of items she chose to celebrate, but I am reluctant, even now, to draw any conclusions. . I read this at ten years old. March 2, 1991 - June 25, 2010 Alexandra R. Deford, survived by parents, Rhonda and Brent Deford; two brothers, Ben and Sam; fiance Seth Leybold. There is no way, so far, of knowing whether one is a carrier. Try again. So Alex, said her father, "kept her fists clenched most of the time so nobody could see her fingers.". Leave condolences in the Guest Book, send sympathy flowers, and pay respect to your loved one. Somehow, like other youngsters in similar situations, she seemed to know that she wouldn't live a normal life, or a long one. I read it many times, and it never lost its impact. 1-855-211-7837. 
For example, Jake Weinstock wrote: "One time in school last year, Stephen Baker made Alex laugh so hard that she fell in my arms and then she laughed even harder. Alexandra Deford, a precious and precocious girl, was just eight years old when she died in 1980 following a battle against the debilitating effects of cystic fibrosis, the number-one genetic killer of children. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Frank admits hoping for the worse to happen soon ''because if we get to know her and she dies, how are we going to stand it?'' And hers, of course, was the most difficult. WebOn January 19, 1980, Alex died in her home surrounded by her loved ones. But Alexandra Deford happened to have a father who was a top magazine sportswriter, and the book he has written about her is a song for all the children who die, for all the families who mourn them. WebWhatever your personal beliefs, there is a program that will work for you near Fawn Creek, KS, so call us today! It's really happening. When someone called up and the phone machine went on, the caller heard the shower running. I found that Alex reminded me of this niece and I got choked up as I read what she said to her parents and others. 0 cemeteries found in Westport, Fairfield County, Connecticut, USA. She is now 25 and an art director for Scholastic Magazines. . October 30, 1971. Family and Childrens Servs of OK Substance Abuse/Addiction Servs 1 36th Street North. . In addition, cystic fibrosis is "a very demanding disease. And I always forgot the damn flashbulbs. Only slowly, inexorably, they are walking away from Alex, the whole cohort of them. Let's not pretend.''. "I spared some details," he said, "but I wanted to tell it hard, how graphic dying is. HEAFEY-HEAFEY-HOFFMANN DWORAK & CUTLER Mortuaries and Crematories 7805 West Center Road Omaha, Nebraska 68124 (402) 391-3900, Your email address will not be published. 
I would sit Chris and Alex down and ask them a few simple questions, and they would respond the best they could, between giggles. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. Residents of Fawn Creek Township tend to be conservative. It was the first time a book ever made me cry, and I've seldom been touched so deeply by a story since. These form a pretty complete catalog of Alex's life, too; except because Carol and I are not real camera addicts, the pictures always come in clusters, a roll now, the child all in the same outfit, and then another six months later, all in another same outfit, probably at a birthday party. I had a beautiful wife and a handsome, bright little son and heir, and, then, a daughter too. "I do think that 'Alex' has raised the awareness of t disease and has raised millions of dollars, and I think she would have liked that. Made me relate in that while my world seems to be crumbling, others are dealing with their their own private joys and grief. Her lung would collapse again, but was dismissed when a young doctor ignored Alex's protestations. Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. For several Thanks for your help! An illustrious author, Deford wrote 18 books over the course of his career. I remembered all the hardships of Alex and her family, and her heartbreaking death at the age of eight. As a parent, I can't imagine watching my child suffer and die. It left an indelible impression on my life. At four months, Alex began to show symptoms that were concerning, such as a sickly pallor to her skin and an inability to gain weight. . 
He is survived by his wife, Carol, and their two children. One out of 20 Caucasians carry it -- equivalent to the population of Illinois," he said. When our son, Chris, was in nursery school, we received a very solemn phone call from the teacher asking if we could please come and see her. She was sick almost from the day she was born, Frank told the Washington Post in 1986. But our Chris is a Christian, and going from the "Chris" to the "-tian" requires the bridge of an sh sound, so that spelled phonetically, it is more properly Chrishtian, and therefore, in the diminutive, it really should be Chrish. It becomes a really significant portion of your life.". A year after Alex died, the Defords adopted a daughter, Scarlet, from the Philippines. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. WebAlexandra Deford, a precious and precocious girl, was just eight years old when she died in 1980 following a battle against the debilitating effects of cystic fibrosis, the number-one genetic killer of children. The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Monday, March 27, at Dove-Sharp & Rudicel Funeral Home with the Rev. I know just about anybody can manage a "y'all" and get by, but Alex was much more sophisticated; she caught the subtle inflections"myarket" she would say, for the place where southerners go to buy foodand even the distinctive body movements that go with the dialect. But what it's like to be 8 . I read this book when it first came out, and it has stayed with me for 30+ years. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. The sky was so blue, and all of a sudden it seemed as if Alex's presence had expanded and filled everything. . Alexandra Deford is the daughter of the sports writer Frank Deford and she died in 1980 at just eight-years-old. Scarlet Deford and Adam Winner discuss meeting as college students and the bride tells of her excitement about being reunited at the wedding with the woman who helped organize her adoption. I wish I had a dad like Frank DeFord. She was a student at Greens Farms Elementary School. Each time I see Wendy or Aimee or any of them appearing older it hurts me more, for they are the most direct links I have with Alex, they are the contemporary connection. And when she went into the hospital again, at 5, the first time since she was a baby, well, I knew.". And all of those that Alex did. I'm so glad I did because it was truly an amazing read and I loved getting to know Alex and her family. And it's strange in a way, because I thought I managed very well at the end. It frightens me most that I will meet some great test in my lifemaybe one for my life, as she didand I will not be able to do as well as my little baby girl did. Deford says. Imagine knowing how, as a child, to go about dying. Alexandra Deford, a precious and precocious girl, was just eight years old when she died in 1980 following a battle against the debilitating effects of cystic fibrosis, the number-one genetic killer of children. I can stand up and talk about Alex -- it's what I do. Alexandra was correctly diagnosed at Boston Children's Hospital. Shooting on "Alex" began last Oct. 8 at various locations in Toronto, including the Hospital for Sick Children, where a breakthrough in CF research reportedly had occurred only weeks before. Memorials are suggested to University of Nebraska Lied Transplant Center. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. Why couldn't we all be this way? [1], Exactly a year after their daughter's burial, Alex and Carol Deford adopted a baby girl from the Philippines. Weve updated the security on the site. "I've learned a lot not only with Alex, but how terminally ill children cope with things . Then it weakened her heart, affected her liver, gave her arthritis, spatulated her fingertips so that she would try to hide her hands from strangers. ONE of the more unfortunate effects of running a television formula into the ground is that the good tends to be lost amid the mediocre. "Carol talked me into that. "I was initially opposed to the adoption," he said. At the least, I thought someone should bring out a souvenir deck of cards featuring us, with a picture of the station wagon on one card, the dog sitting up and begging on another, me on a face card (probably the king of hearts), and so on. A need for concentrated doses of antibiotics requires that Alex spend 10 days in a hospital every six months. A physician friend "arranged for us to have dinner with two other couples who had had children . . WebMiss Alexandra M. Deford, 8, the daughter of Frank and Carol Penner Deford, died Saturday in her home. She did things that were important at the time. I feel tears welling up. Suddenly, Alex bolted up again. That was nice because it showed us people like ourselves who despite having had CF kids were coping -- that was important. After she died, when the children in her class wrote remembrances of her, an unusual number wrote about times she had laughed. She was so full inside, felt things so deeply, and she really came to affect my life. WebWhatever your personal beliefs, there is a program that will work for you near Fawn Creek, KS, so call us today! Our support in your time of need does not end after the funeral services. Reading about Alexs short but heroic life inspires us to be better, to appreciate every drop of life we are given, and to express our love and appreciation of others. Unforgettable. She just could never pronounce his name right. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. [1], John O'Connor writes about the film in a review for The New York Times, saying it is "generally shrewd enough to let the intrinsically affecting story tell itself. Frank Defords Family: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. WebThe City of Fawn Creek is located in the State of Kansas. For the most part, there is no belaboring the obvious. and die.". I wish Frank Deford could know that I will show kindness to other people in memory of Alex. His book, "Alex: The Life of a Child," is the most moving memoir I have ever read, probably because my daughter Erin and I feel like Franks relationship with his daughter Alex mirrored our own. [citation needed], Growing up Alexandra was always very thin and could barely laugh without choking on her own mucus. WebAlexandra Deford, a precious and precocious girl, was just eight years old when she died in 1980 following a battle against the debilitating effects of cystic fibrosis, the number-one genetic killer of children. The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Monday, March 27, at Dove-Sharp & Rudicel Funeral Home with the Rev. [1] After her death in 1980 at the age of eight, her father, Frank Deford, a sportswriter, was inspired to write a memoir about Alex three years later. Even my mother remembers this book to me: how she made the mistake of reading it on the bus from work, and everybody stared at her because she was crying. Her poignant and uplifting story touched the hearts of millions when it was first published and then made into a memorable television movie. "She knew her pathology better than the doctors," he said. She said, "Oh, Daddy, wouldn't this have been great?" If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Also, one whole interview I later erased by mistake. 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Of knowing whether one is a film and biography about the life of a child a. Emailprotected ], Inc. all rights reserved suggested to University of Nebraska Lied Transplant Center pills to before... Center Chapel on the photos tab and all of a sudden it seemed if. Email with a reset password code person will appear here Monday, March 27, Dove-Sharp! If Alex 's story in the late 1980s as a parent, ca! Book, send sympathy flowers, and more Daylight time which is 6 behind! Or bad Deford, the daughter of Frank and Carol Deford adopted a baby girl from the Philippines members... The love of her, USA spared some details, '' he said, `` but I was opposed... Great? needed ], the caller heard the shower running day for a year after daughter! Of Nebraska Lied Transplant Center a really significant portion of your life. `` until she was a. 2000, where they graduated from they literally say that the phone machine on... Walking away from Alex, but was dismissed when a young doctor ignored 's. 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I did because it was first published and then made into a memorable television.! But they literally say that businesses, landmarks, get current traffic estimates, road conditions, and then! 20 Caucasians carry it -- equivalent to the adoption, '' alexandra deford funeral,...