Family of Melissa Diane Rehder

On Wednesday, April 5th, 2023 our hearts were broken as our sweet Melissa passed on from this life unexpectedly leaving behind her husband Gus and their son Vano who were the loves of her life. Melissa succumbed to a massive undetected brain tumor in her left lobe. On Friday 3/31 Melissa's husband, Gus, rushed her to the ER with intense neck pain, which they thought was related to a fall while hiking last November or the remnants of an injury from a traffic accident back in Jan ’22.

That evening while in the ER, Melissa suffered a set of catastrophic seizures and strokes causing her to go into a deep cerebral coma, from which she didn’t wake up. Six days and numerous tests later, the necessity to honor Melissa by following her expressed and written wishes became increasingly clear. On April 5th, 2023 Melissa passed with peace, and dignity and was surrounded by her close family.

Anyone lucky enough to have had Melissa in their lives knows the kindness, compassion, and gentleness she brought to this world and to those she came in contact with. She seemed to navigate this life with a softness and grace that often inspired me to slow down and be fully present. Melissa felt strongly that compassion and empathy are essential and are the strongest foundation for making the world a better place.

I want to honor Melissa by showing compassion and empathy for her husband Gus and their son Vano. They were her world. Nothing will take away the pain from such a loss but, coming together as a community and offering a little financial support could provide them the ability to focus on healing and learning to navigate this world without her. I will be honest and say that currently I'm unable to pinpoint exactly how the funds will be used but I am certain they will be accepted and treated with grace. Whether they are used for peace of mind, a way for Gus to grieve without having to jump right back into work, a way to celebrate her life or just to allow Gus and Vano the opportunity to explore nature the way she did, every contribution will be honored with her in mind and heart.

Melissa was an admirer of the Buddhist nun, Pema Chödrön. I will leave you with two of her quotes that sum up some of the philosophies that Melissa lived by...

“This genuine heart of sadness can teach us great compassion. It can humble us when we’re arrogant and soften us when we are unkind.”

"The Buddha taught that we're not actually in control, which is a pretty scary idea. But when you let things be as they are, you will be a much happier, more balanced, compassionate person."