Generous, loving, curious, hopeful, animal-lover
While growing up, Sarah was always incredibly generous. The struggles she faced as she aged never prevented her from lending a helping hand, whether abroad or in her community. She was a youth missionary, and one of the most moving moments of her life was a mission trip to Mexico. Her altruistic spirit continued into her adulthood. She regularly invited people experiencing homelessness to her apartment for a warm meal and a shower. Then, when it was time to part, she would assemble care packages filled with snacks and toiletries.
Even though Sarah’s mental health prevented her from maintaining work, she pictured herself helping people in the future. She wanted to serve others and care for another pet. She loved animals as much as she did people, and although she never had her own children, Sarah’s nurturing disposition would have made her a wonderful parent.
She was a gift to her mother, and even the smallest moments brought so much happiness. Liz recalled one day when Sarah phoned from the beach. “Mama, TJ will buy me fried dough if you can give us gas money when we get back to town.” TJ was her boyfriend at the time and was with her until her passing. TJ drove them to Liz’s workplace for the money, but his car ended up breaking down at a gas station. Luckily, TJ was handy. As he fixed up the car, the three happily passed the time together until his car could make it back to Sarah’s.
Sarah faced a lot of adversity the last two years of her life. Along with struggles of active addiction, her mental health worsened. She began to experience psychosis, became distant, and rarely spent time with her family.
Loving someone with substance use disorder wasn’t always easy, but despite all the difficulty, Liz, and Sarah’s father, Bruce, will remember her even more for her positive impact on those around her. They will miss her morning texts, the way she loved her sister with all her heart, and, simply, the sound of her saying, “Mama.”
Sarah’s mother, Liz White, provided the information for this narrative.
March 25, 1987–November 5, 2023-Age 36
Portrait Artist: Clayton Conner
Narrative Writer: Willow Kline
