The Bravest Woman I ever knew......

The bravest woman I ever knew……

Denise DeBerry-Davis
1964-2008

Denise was my cousin and what an amazing woman. She was born with spina bifida and began her life as a fighter. The doctors said she probably would not live past 12 years old. Her parents Laura and Don DeBerry and brothers, Donnie and David gave her inspiration for her determination to live her life to the fullest each and every day. As a small child she would drag her little body around and play with her brothers and I mean really play! Denise went through many operations and only had one kidney. I remember once as a child she wanted to spend the night with me and mother was so worried about how to empty her kidney bag – well Denise said what do you mean – I do it by myself and she did! She even rode my horse once too! As Denise grew into a teenager she decided she did not want to live in a wheelchair so she got braces and hand crutches and sold her wheelchair! Of course, then it was I’m going to drive a car! Now she was very tiny but she got a car with hand controls and off she went like the wind. She worked and bought her own home. When Kenny and I first moved to Nevada we stayed in Fallon with my Aunt Laura and Uncle Don. We got to spend a lot of time with Denise which I am so grateful for. She was funny, smart and feisty! Kenny would try to help her in the big cargo van and she have none of that – she just climbed right up. And I think the funniest story was Denise and I were going to a club one night and it was pouring down rain. There was a handicap parking space right at the club door. I said Denise there’s a parking space – she said leave for someone who needs it and I laughed and said “Your old cousin needs it because my hair will frizz”. Of course, I ending up soaking wet because she would never park in a handicap space. And she had a lot of fun in the casino’s because security would always think she was a 10 year girl playing the slot machines! She loved to whip out her driver’s license to prove she was “21”. I treasure the times I got to spend with Denise. She met and married her husband Ty who I regret I’ve never got to meet. Ty is also in a wheelchair but that never stopped them. They took trips and lived in their own home in Reno. This last trip she and Ty drove to Tucson, Az to visit Laura and Don at their winter home there. On the way back Denise got sick in Las Vegas and Ty’s parents came down to get them. Denise was put in the hospital and all the family arrived. She had double pneumonia and a bladder infection. The doctor’s did not give much hope but on Friday she woke up – knew everyone and was even getting feisty! She told her mother to go home and get some rest. Sadly to say this weekend Denise left this world. Throughout her life I never heard her complain about her condition or her challenges. She was a bright ray of sunshine for everyone who came across her path. We will remember Denise with laughter and tears but mostly for her spirit. God was kind enough to let us all be touched by this angel for 44 years. We will miss you Denise and I will always think of you as “The bravest Woman I’ve ever known”…….