Anna Marie McDonald

December 31st, 1981 - September 8th, 2006

What can I say about Annie, where do I begin. There's a cliche I've heard from time to time, about people who've died. They'll say that the person "was too good for this world". Perhaps an exaggeration in most cases, but in hers it's apt. My sister truly was too extraordinary for this world. She never seemed to quite fit in here, her time mostly given to higher pursuits like art and caring for animals. Ever since we were very small, she did these things. Her selfless attitude towards animals carried over to people as well. Though being a "rescuer" of people ultimately led to her losing her life, I think she wouldn't have chosen to live any differently.

Annie wasn't the demonstrative type. Some who are selfless play well the part of the martyr, putting their sacrifice on display for the world. Hers was a quiet and self-effacing demeanor. She hid the depth of her feeling with her sharp wit and playful sarcasm, and would simply roll her eyes at anyone who tried to make too big a fuss of her. I can feel her doing that to me now!

My sister worked for the San Martin Animal Shelter in San Martin, CA. It seemed the only fitting thing for her to do, a natural choice of careers for someone who spent so much time looking after animals anyway. She frequently went above and beyond her duties there, taking adoptable cats and dogs into her own home when they were simply at the shelter too long but still had hope.

She was also a great artist, occasionally doing it professionally but mostly as a lifelong hobby. I remember her drawing every day when we were kids, and she never put it down. She always had natural talent and by the time her work matured it was extraordinarily imaginative and provocative. I plan to take some photos of her work and post them here in the future.

Just as I didn't know how to begin, I don't know how to close this tribute. Annie McDonald was and is, a beautiful soul with a deep resevoir of feeling and compassion that will always be missed. Recently she appeared to me in a dream to tell me how Heaven is better than anything we here on Earth could possibly imagine. It was then that I *knew* she was alright. She's still around, I firmly believe and I'm looking forward to the day when we can all get together again and find out for ourselves just how good it really is.

Catch you later little sister.

http://annie-mcdonald.com


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