Embrace Life^® Awards Honorees

Reinforcing her late husband's strong belief that children should prepare themselves for the future...

Reinforcing her late husband's strong belief that children should prepare themselves for the future, Mary Baltimore of Gainesville, Va., founded the Douglas E. Baltimore Scholarship Fund in his honor. To date, the fund has helped pay for the education of five students. Mary is pastor at a local church and her teachings emphasize the importance of being prepared financially, as well as emotionally, to take care of business. She passes these life lessons on to family, friends and others.

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Inspired by his wife Kimberly's drive to prepare her family to survive without her, Nader Dabboussi created funds in her honor to help others...

Inspired by his wife Kimberly's drive to prepare her family to survive without her, Nader Dabboussi created funds in her honor to help others in his community and to inspire others to prepare for the unexpected. Nader, of Lewisville, Texas, lost Kimberly to breast cancer. Diagnosed after the birth of their second child, Kimberly spent the last 2½ years of her life recording videos for their two children and writing cards and thoughts for each of their birthdays through their 21st birthday, as well as their potential weddings. Her legacy lives on through the Kimberly Dabboussi Friends and Family Support Fund, helping with scholarships for pre-school students and young women diagnosed with breast cancer. Another endowment provides scholarships for pre-med students. Nader has improved his own health and guided family and friends to not only do the same,but to always be prepared.

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"Incredible" and "inspiring" are words used to describe Rachel David of Cedar Rapids, Iowa...

"Incredible" and "inspiring" are words used to describe Rachel David of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. While she was giving birth to her third child, her husband died unexpectedly. An immigrant, she found herself with little money, limited job skills, language barriers and three young daughters to care for. So Rachel worked long hours and saved as much as she could to put her daughters through college and protect their future with life insurance. Persistence and belief in herself have been the hallmarks of her success. Rachel is now a homeowner and has embraced the American Dream.

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Embracing life no matter what the circumstances has become an overriding theme in Dawn Doucette's life...

Embracing life no matter what the circumstances has become an overriding theme in Dawn Doucette's life. Dawn, of Colorado Springs, Colo., lost her husband to suicide. In the aftermath, life was a daily struggle for Dawn, and she found help in the form of counseling, spiritual practice and exercise. She now leads a support group for suicide survivors and has shared her journey of loss and healing with female inmates at an Oregon correctional facility. Her experience has allowed her to grow her skills, confidence and develop as a leader within her community.

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A teacher and county commissioner in Michigan, Dorothy's life took a new path following the death of her husband...

A teacher and county commissioner in Michigan, Dorothy's life took a new path following the death of her husband. She redirected her efforts to missionary work in Haiti and funded The Soaring Unlimited Foundation, a faith-based mission dedicated to helping underprivileged Haitian children. Dorothy has helped arrange for education, clothing and health care of 2,000 students. She also helps educate adults and increase the overall health of the citizens of Cape Haitlien, Haiti. Dorothy's dream is to build a new medical treatment facility for the area. She believes that if an individual seeks new direction in their life following the loss of a loved one, they should not be afraid of change.

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Focusing on others and serving those less fortunate has helped James Gillispie of Cedarville, OH, cope with the loss of his childhood sweetheart...

Focusing on others and serving those less fortunate has helped James Gillispie of Cedarville, OH, cope with the loss of his childhood sweetheart to pancreatic cancer. James struggled with the loss of his wife of 53 years until he sought to help others nearby and abroad. At age 78, James visited Ghana and carried home a message of hope and need that helped him raise $15,000 to help complete two village community centers back in Ghana. He returned twice and raised an additional $10,000. His children say he has realized your life can have multiple missions and you must move beyond the pain and embrace life always.

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A resident of Alpharetta, Ga., Wanda Gross' experiences have taught her about the fragility of life and the need to cherish friends and family...

A resident of Alpharetta, Ga., Wanda Gross' experiences have taught her about the fragility of life and the need to cherish friends and family. Everything else, she says is "a piece of cake and has a solution." Wanda's father and husband both died prematurely from cancer, and her brother was killed in his home. She raised two young children without a husband. Wanda established the Richard B. Gross scholarships for Christian and scholastic excellence in 1991, funding it for the first two years. Today, there are 10 scholarships, each worth $2,000 a year. Wanda advises others to keep their hope, even in the face of adversity.

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Ellen, of Hartsville, Pa., found overwhelming support from her community following the loss of her husband...

Ellen, of Hartsville, Pa., found overwhelming support from her community following the loss of her husband to esophageal cancer at age 33. The mother of two moved beyond her grief and was inspired to help others. She founded the Ted Lindeman Outreach Foundation, a non-profit fund to help alleviate financial concerns for families recovering from the loss of a loved one. Families in Montgomery and Bucks counties have benefited from Ellen's tireless efforts to raise money for the foundation. She encourages families to seek out and accept help following a sudden loss.

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Colleen found the inspiration to help others through their pain when she lost her beloved 39-year-old husband to lung cancer...

Colleen found the inspiration to help others through their pain when she lost her beloved 39-year-old husband to lung cancer just one day shy of their 10-year anniversary. Following the death of her husband, the Bradenton, Fla., mother returned to her corporate position only to find she would often "run out of gas." With the help of life insurance proceeds she was able to take a leap of faith and leave her career of 19 years, return to school and start a coaching business focused on helping widows move forward. In her own words, this life transition has made her stronger, wiser, more compassionate and alive with greater purpose.

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"Find something in your community you believe in, get involved and embrace life until the end," says Holly Scheie of Billings, Montana...

"Find something in your community you believe in, get involved and embrace life until the end," says Holly Scheie of Billings, Montana. Holly found a new purpose after the sudden loss of her husband to a rare form of cancer. Life insurance and careful financial planning have helped her to dedicate herself to her four children, raise money for the American Cancer Society and educate others about cancer. She chaired a Relay For Life event, which was recognized at both the local and national level, and created a caregiver lap to recognize those who treated loved ones diagnosed with the disease.

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Finding strength in the face of adversity has been Clare Stringer's hallmark. The Auxvasse, Mo., woman has lost a loved one at nearly every stage of her life...

Finding strength in the face of adversity has been Clare Stringer's hallmark. The Auxvasse, Mo., woman has lost a loved one at nearly every stage of her life. Clare lost both parents by her early teens then her older sister and caregiver also died at the age of 21. Clare married and raised a family, but tragedy struck again when her 16-year-old daughter died in a car accident. Clare's perseverance, as well as her strength and commitment to the success of her daughters, was key in her nomination for the 2008 Embrace Life Awards.

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Nathan Thompson found himself thrust into the position of role model for two younger brothers when a heart attack took his father...

Nathan Thompson found himself thrust into the position of role model for his two younger brothers when a heart attack took his father on his Nathan's tenth birthday. Later, Nathan mentored youth in a day camp program for orphans in Trinidad and continues the program today, while also mentoring local youth in his community. Nathan graduated with a bachelor's degree in commerce and assists with marketing in a humanitarian organization. His tragic loss challenged his maturity at a young age and fostered compassion for others and a deep understanding of the need to be prepared.

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