Stephanie Emery

Hi, My name is Rob Wilson and I'm donating for the family of Stephanie Emery. On Saturday, October 7, Stephanie died in the ICU at Saint Louis University Hospital. She had a vascular disease and as I understood that caused her legs to swell, leak water constantly and ultimately develop wounds. The wounds later became infected and the infection overtook her body. I was there talking to her and holding her hand with her mom on speakerphone when she took her last breath.

Stephanie did not have an easy life and accomplished so much to be taken away from us like this at the age of 32. Her biggest accomplishments were: overcoming heroin addiction, reuniting with her mom after many years of being addicted and creating DOPETOHOPE where she helped to design motivational drug awareness t-shirts. She worked a lot of long hours on many of the shirts.

Stephanie was by far one of the sweetest people I could have ever known and very perceptive about others. She rarely got angry and would break her neck to help others even though she had very little herself. She had a supreme taste in music and a willingness and openness to hear what others loved. I even got her to watch Fiddler On The Roof and she loved it! She also became a fan of 80s music. She was a creative soul.....an artist.....and unfortunately that gift is gone with her. Stephanie also loved God. She was a true believer. The tattoo of the cross that she got on her arm as a birthday gift was never for show. It was for herself..... because she believed. Lastly she started opening her mind up to what was going on in the world.....watching the world news daily....talking and analyzing what was going on. I was proud of her.

Stephanie's goal in life was to go back home to Colorado to be with her mom

and to mend some broken relationships..... for example with her cousin that was like a sister to her..... she talked about that often. She wanted to get married, have a kid and start her life. I so wanted that for her. Everything she's been through she deserved that little bit of happiness.

I've been in constant communication with her mom and we are both in agreement that Stephanie's final wishes are to be in Colorado. Her mom, one of the most giving people I'll ever know, is financially unable to get her back. So the most economical way is to have Stephanie cremated and send the remains to her. The best bang for the buck is about $900 and she'll get an urn, necklace and death certificate. If more is donated, we'll get a nicer urn and get it engraved. I will drive out and give the items to her personally.

Anything that you can donate would be helpful. I understand that everyone has their own financial responsibilities. No sum is too small.