Fri. May 25th – Congratulations Ali!
Today, I’d like to pay tribute to a very special young lady…one of the Co-Founders of The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation — my daughter, Ali.
A very short 14 months after Andrew went to Heaven, Ali headed down the road to Newark, DE as a Freshman at the University of Delaware. Unfortunately, Ali could never have the ‘typical’ college experience given what she is living through. She really was a fish out of water in many respects. While still in the very difficult, early stages of grieving, Ali didn’t have a lot in common with her roommates and fellow students. And, very, very few people had any clue as to what she was going through.
While I’m sure there were a lot of times when Ali felt like just packing it in, she never quit. That trait, by the way, has always been part of Ali’s constitution. She’s a tough person; like her Mom.
Today, Ali walked across the stage at her Convocation and tomorrow, she will celebrate her graduation from Chris’ and my alma mater, the University of Delaware. We couldn’t be more proud of her. As you can see in the picture, Ali proudly wears the cord of her sorority (Alpha Delta Pi), the cord of her Leadership Honor Society (ODK), the cord recognizing her leadership as Co-Executive Director of the largest student-run philanthropy in the history of the University, and her sash symbolizing her participation in Study Abroad in Italy. And, what you won’t see in the picture is that she was a Dean’s List student. And, what you won’t see in the picture is the character that this young lady has. She has a great head on her shoulders, an even kinder heart, a very strong moral compass, and she is a true lady!
And, yes, as you will see in the picture, she will ALWAYS have a guardian angel looking out for her…her best friend! Pinned inside her gown is Andrew’s picture.
Ali, your Mom, Andrew and I are so proud of you!
We love you!
Ali’s Proud Family