Rise in LOVE for the Hutchings
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Cheryl Hutchings, the bravest, most humble, most honorable of women, allowed the last of her powerful breaths to escape her tired body the morning of February 26th, 2020.
Cheryl ended her excruciating, unfair battle with cancer surrounded by her 6 remarkable children.
Cheryl was a force of light and energy. She created both a passionate fire and an immense feeling of peace everywhere she went. She was both deeply thinking and feeling. Empathetic and logical. A natural born leader. The very definition of altruistic. Tolerant and reliable. Honest and genuine. You couldn't be around Cheryl and not want to do better, be better, live fully. She used to say, "Be good to people for no reason". She was so good at that.
The last few years have been nothing short of tumultuous for this family. Cheryl has been known to refer to the experiences they were navigating as a "shit storm turned tsunami".
In 2015, Greg, Cheryl's husband and father of their "crew" of 6, was diagnosed with malignant melanoma. They immediately adopted a plant based lifestyle and immersed themselves in all things possible to holistically combat Greg's illness. They began as a family, to literally heal themselves from the inside out.
In the summer of 2017, new layers to their storm presented. Greg was in the hospital twice for varying obstacles with his condition and Cheryl was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. August of that year Greg arrived home from one of his longer stays in the hospital and the very next day Cheryl went in for a lumpectomy. In the midst of each personally facing what they were told were terminal illnesses, they not only kept raising and loving their 6 children exceptionally, they continued loving and supporting each other well. Beyond well.
On December 19th, 2017 Greg, as Cheryl liked to put it, "made his journey home". The first thing she did that morning was get on her yoga mat and speak gratitude over his life, her life, and the life of their children. She moved and breathed for him. She honored him with the gift that so many of us forget is a gift: the breath in our lungs. She didn't want to sit and kick and scream and cry. She wanted to feel grounded and connected even in her grief and despair. She had mastered the art of allowing emotions to move through her. She accepted resistance as a part of life and created space for it to teach her, not to stop her.
The two years that followed can only be described as a complete cracking open of Cheryl and what she perceived life to be.
Awakening.
She always loved life. She always spoke positivity. This was different. This was vigor to not simply manifest the goodness she wanted to squeeze out of her time on earth but to chase it at full sprinting speed, not giving a single thought to the judgment of others.
She turned 50 last year and threw herself a huge party. Caterers, yoga class, dance party and all.
She wanted to enter Art Prize. So she did.
She wanted to meet Michael Franti. So she introduced her damn self.
Cheryl was determined to do everything in her control to live well and beat the beast that is cancer. She was also determined to accept all of the things she didn't have control over and to revel in life not despite these things but because of them. The more bleak her physical outcome became, the more intentional she was in waking every single day with a grateful heart.
She has 6 resilient, authentic human beings that are each of piece of her and Greg, still here with us showing up every single day.
Now it's time for us to show up for them.
Cheryl's deepest and in some ways only anxiety around the idea of dying, was what would happen to her children once she was no longer here. We need to honor that.
One of Cheryl's favorite influencers was the lovely Brene Brown. One of the messages that spoke most strongly to Cheryl was this:
“Don’t look away. Don’t look down. Don’t pretend not to see hurt.
Look people in the eye.
Even when their pain is overwhelming.
And when you are in pain, find the people who can look you in the eye.
We need to know we are not alone, especially when we are hurting.
This lesson is one of the greatest gifts of my life.”
- Brene Brown
If you knew Cheryl, you know she lived this impeccably. If you know any one of her children, you know they do too. She taught them this. It is an invaluable lesson. Let's extend it. Let's walk in this hurt and look it straight in the eyes.
Cheryl had hoped to have their home and her Jeep paid for before passing. Unfortunately there wasn't time for this to happen. These burdens along with the basic day to day needs of food, clothing, toiletries, school expenses, athletic expenses, etc. are on the shoulders of her children.
Any amount you can spare is not too little.
Please consider contributing to help support this family.
Cheryl said over and over and over, "love showed up".
Let's keep proving her right.
LOVE and LIGHT and THANKSGIVING to all.
Memorial Details: There will be a visitation Saturday, March 7th from 12pm - 2pm and a celebration of life from 2pm - 4pm. True to the incredible person she is, Makenzie, Cheryl's oldest daughter, is also in the process of planning a big dance party to follow these events.
Location and other details to come.
Cheryl ended her excruciating, unfair battle with cancer surrounded by her 6 remarkable children.
Cheryl was a force of light and energy. She created both a passionate fire and an immense feeling of peace everywhere she went. She was both deeply thinking and feeling. Empathetic and logical. A natural born leader. The very definition of altruistic. Tolerant and reliable. Honest and genuine. You couldn't be around Cheryl and not want to do better, be better, live fully. She used to say, "Be good to people for no reason". She was so good at that.
The last few years have been nothing short of tumultuous for this family. Cheryl has been known to refer to the experiences they were navigating as a "shit storm turned tsunami".
In 2015, Greg, Cheryl's husband and father of their "crew" of 6, was diagnosed with malignant melanoma. They immediately adopted a plant based lifestyle and immersed themselves in all things possible to holistically combat Greg's illness. They began as a family, to literally heal themselves from the inside out.
In the summer of 2017, new layers to their storm presented. Greg was in the hospital twice for varying obstacles with his condition and Cheryl was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. August of that year Greg arrived home from one of his longer stays in the hospital and the very next day Cheryl went in for a lumpectomy. In the midst of each personally facing what they were told were terminal illnesses, they not only kept raising and loving their 6 children exceptionally, they continued loving and supporting each other well. Beyond well.
On December 19th, 2017 Greg, as Cheryl liked to put it, "made his journey home". The first thing she did that morning was get on her yoga mat and speak gratitude over his life, her life, and the life of their children. She moved and breathed for him. She honored him with the gift that so many of us forget is a gift: the breath in our lungs. She didn't want to sit and kick and scream and cry. She wanted to feel grounded and connected even in her grief and despair. She had mastered the art of allowing emotions to move through her. She accepted resistance as a part of life and created space for it to teach her, not to stop her.
The two years that followed can only be described as a complete cracking open of Cheryl and what she perceived life to be.
Awakening.
She always loved life. She always spoke positivity. This was different. This was vigor to not simply manifest the goodness she wanted to squeeze out of her time on earth but to chase it at full sprinting speed, not giving a single thought to the judgment of others.
She turned 50 last year and threw herself a huge party. Caterers, yoga class, dance party and all.
She wanted to enter Art Prize. So she did.
She wanted to meet Michael Franti. So she introduced her damn self.
Cheryl was determined to do everything in her control to live well and beat the beast that is cancer. She was also determined to accept all of the things she didn't have control over and to revel in life not despite these things but because of them. The more bleak her physical outcome became, the more intentional she was in waking every single day with a grateful heart.
She has 6 resilient, authentic human beings that are each of piece of her and Greg, still here with us showing up every single day.
Now it's time for us to show up for them.
Cheryl's deepest and in some ways only anxiety around the idea of dying, was what would happen to her children once she was no longer here. We need to honor that.
One of Cheryl's favorite influencers was the lovely Brene Brown. One of the messages that spoke most strongly to Cheryl was this:
“Don’t look away. Don’t look down. Don’t pretend not to see hurt.
Look people in the eye.
Even when their pain is overwhelming.
And when you are in pain, find the people who can look you in the eye.
We need to know we are not alone, especially when we are hurting.
This lesson is one of the greatest gifts of my life.”
- Brene Brown
If you knew Cheryl, you know she lived this impeccably. If you know any one of her children, you know they do too. She taught them this. It is an invaluable lesson. Let's extend it. Let's walk in this hurt and look it straight in the eyes.
Cheryl had hoped to have their home and her Jeep paid for before passing. Unfortunately there wasn't time for this to happen. These burdens along with the basic day to day needs of food, clothing, toiletries, school expenses, athletic expenses, etc. are on the shoulders of her children.
Any amount you can spare is not too little.
Please consider contributing to help support this family.
Cheryl said over and over and over, "love showed up".
Let's keep proving her right.
LOVE and LIGHT and THANKSGIVING to all.
Memorial Details: There will be a visitation Saturday, March 7th from 12pm - 2pm and a celebration of life from 2pm - 4pm. True to the incredible person she is, Makenzie, Cheryl's oldest daughter, is also in the process of planning a big dance party to follow these events.
Location and other details to come.
Organizer and beneficiary
Rachel Maly
Organizer
Hudsonville, MI
Makenzie Faith Hutchings
Beneficiary