Health
Linda Brossi Murphy’s Uplifting Farewell Note
Health Points
- ALS affects nerve cells and gradually limits muscle control.
- Linda Brossi Murphy emphasized kindness and connection in her final letter.
- Her donation to ALS research highlights hope for future breakthroughs.
Linda Brossi Murphy, remembered for her wit and warmth, crafted her own moving obituary before passing from ALS at age 60. She celebrated heartfelt moments with her loved ones and shared insight into navigating life with this challenging condition.
ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a neurodegenerative illness impacting muscles and basic movements.
“Well, if you are reading this obituary, it looks like I’m dead. WOW, it actually happened … I died of FOMO due to complications of Bulbar ALS.”
She described feeling deeply loved in her final days, grateful for family by her side. “I was loved, comforted, and hugged until my last breath.”
Murphy faced difficult losses, sharing, “Never speaking means never being able to say, ‘I love you!’ It means not being able to call my Mr. BoJangles over for a snack, and it means not being able to order at the Dunkin’ drive through.”
She openly spoke about the challenges ALS brought to her daily life, but highlighted her determination to stay upbeat for those she cared about. With her “hair and make up done, smiles on,” Linda and her husband David focused on supporting each other through every day for over four decades together.
Their bond grew even closer as they coped with changes, joking about her respirator, Hosee, becoming a “thruple” in their marriage.
“From then on, David woke up next to what looked like a fighter pilot with smooshed hair!”
Her reflections revealed a spirit of fun and a commitment to joy, noting her favorite times were with family and friends. Murphy credited her “super powers” as endless fun and a contagious happiness, and encouraged everyone to embrace adventure and generosity.
“Please be kind to everyone: the telemarketer, the grocery clerk, the Dunkin’s staff, the tailgater, your family, your friends. Speak nicely and positively. Is there really ever a reason to be negative? I don’t think so…”
Donating her brain and spinal cord for ALS research, she hoped to help advance understanding of the illness. She suggested honoring her memory by spreading happiness: “Buy a bunch of scratch tickets and give them out to strangers along your way. Make people happy, that is the best way that you can honor my memory.”
Linda Brossi Murphy’s life reminds us to value connection, meet adversity with humor, and never underestimate the impact of kindness. Consider reaching out to loved ones or supporting ALS research to carry on her positive legacy.
