The loss of a friend

I said goodbye to a very dear friend last month. But more importantly, a family said goodbye to their daughter, sister, aunt and cousin. A long, tough battle with Covid 19 took her from this earth at only 51 years old, but she lived more life than many of us could even dream about.

Most people who know Donna Morrissey or have heard of her are familiar with her incredible work with the American Red Cross. For nearly 2 decades she was the face of the Red Cross regionally, organized major blood drives, developed partnerships between the Red Cross and corporations, and responded thoughtfully and compassionately to natural disasters and tragedies, providing assistance to and consoling those directly affected by events such as the horrific Sandy Hook School Shooting, Hurricane Katrina, the Pulse Nightclub shooting, Hurricane Maria and so many others.  Some know of her challenging work with the Diocese of Boston during the heinous sexual abuse scandal, a difficult time in her career that resulted in at least 2 mentions of her name in the award-winning movie Spotlight. Having worked in PR all of my adult life, I've never met anyone as talented, determined, and successful as she was in the field. She handled every situation with ease, finesse and professionalism.

I met Donna more than 15 years ago at a 9/11 blood drive at Fenway Park. I was invited to the blood drive by fellow Abingtonian and then-Boston EMS Chief Rich Serino, who thought it might be a nice distraction for my kids on a day he knew was difficult for us. Without hesitation, Donna tucked us under her wing, took us through the various areas of the blood drive, explaining what was happening and why it was a tribute to those who died on 9/11. She led my kids to the newly-won World Series trophy, introduced them to Red Sox players and owner Larry Lucchino, and made sure they got their fill of the  clam chowder, hot dogs, fries and other snacks available to the donors. When my youngest, Julia, said to me "Mom, I never thought we'd ever have fun on September 11 again," Donna caught my eye and we both choked back tears. She introduced me to her American Red Cross colleagues and invited me to sit on the board of the Red Cross Blood Services along with Rich, who was board president. This was the beginning of our long friendship.

There was so much more to Donna than her work self. She was fun, funny, intriguing, and a firecely committed friend. She absolutely adored her boy Sebastian, a German Shepherd she raised from puppyhood. The two of them were spiritually connected, tuned in to each other like nothing I've ever seen. She was also a very devoted daughter to her mom and dad, and equally loyal as a sister, especially to her younger twin sisters Johanna and Caitlin, to whom she often referred as "my girls." She was valiant in her efforts to make her father's last months as comfortable as possible, and to treat him to his favorite foods and experiences he enjoyed, like dining out.

Donna loved a good adventure, a nice bottle of bubbly, red lipstick, and anything Chanel. She loved sparkly, big sunglasses -- even more if they were Chanel. Bling never looked so good on anyone else. She would get so excited about finding incredible deals at TJ Maxx or gently-used pieces of Waterford crystal at her favorite antique shop on the Cape to add to her collection. She knew everything there was to know about The Real Housewives of New York, New Jersey, Atlanta and Beverly Hills, and considered it a life achievement when she appeared in an episode of the Housewives of New York after she and Countess Luann visited the hurricane ravaged Florida Keys.

I was fortunate to be one of Donna's frequent travel companions. Sometimes I'd accompany her on Red Cross business trips, helping to set up at a conference or key blood drives, or just tagging along to keep her company during off hours. Among the cities we visited were Miami, New York, Savannah, Key West and Las Vegas, each having a story that brought much laughter then and later, and now, wonderful memories.

As a friend, Donna always let you know she was there for you, and backed up her words with action. She was a devoted, caring friend who often checked in by phone, wanting to know every detail of what was going in my life and with my kids. Our phone calls were filled with laughter, encouragement, advice, and discussions about her latest fun find or how she would use her accumulated travel points.

It's still difficult to come to terms with the loss of my friend who meant so much to so many. I miss hearing her say "Hey Doll -- what's new and exciting with you?" I miss her exuberance, her compassion, her words of wisdom and her friendship. But I know she's up there, sparkly sunglasses and all, checking in and looking out for me and all those she cared about. Godspeed, Donna. I raise a glass of bubbly to you.