A reunion with Teagan…

I met Teagan four summers ago at the Saratoga Farmers Market. She was in a wheelchair being pushed by her mom Holly. They stopped at my spätzle booth; I gave them the spatzle spiel and a sample. Teagan loved it. Holly was thrilled she loved it. 

Teagan and her mom Holly visited me every couple of weeks at the farmers market. Some weeks Teagan was too sick to come with her. Teagan was battling cancer again for the second time in her short life. 

It was heartbreaking for Teagan to stay home because I knew the chemotherapy was making her very ill. I was glad our spätzle was one of the few things she could tolerate and eat during this terrible time, plus she loved it.

After Holly would come by to pick up Teagan’s spätzle, I would get so emotional and sometimes wept on my way home. I remember questioning God why he chose this for Teagan, such a beautiful, sweet girl.

One day just before Christmas, Holly seemed upset. I was amazed how she could hold it together and be so strong for Teagan. It seemed Teagan wasn’t doing well, and Holly was afraid. We hugged each other at the indoor market, both of us crying. I prayed harder than I had ever prayed before.

I saw Teagan once at the beginning of covid; then I stopped doing the Saratoga market since we decided to grow our wholesale business and only concentrate on doing one farmers market. 

I was friends with Holly on Facebook and was able to keep tabs on how Teagan was doing. For a while, they made endless trips to the ER and hospital. The chemo was taking a toll on her body. 

Then guess what? She got better! She kicked cancer in the butt twice. Her hair was growing back! She was smiling, and so was Holly. She didn’t need her wheelchair anymore.

I watched Teagan finally get to go on her Make a Wish Disney cruise after being canceled numerous times due to covid. I saw how beautiful she looked in her prom dress she got to go to this spring. This made me cry tears of joy.

I saw Holly in person for the first time two weeks ago. She came to Troy to pick up some spätzle for Teagan. I told her to say ‘hi’ to Teagan for me. 

Teagan always calls me Jewelry, and she would correct her mother when she referred to me as Julz. When she gave her my message, she said you meant “Jewelry?” I got a big laugh when Holly messaged me later that day.

Last Saturday, I saw Holly. I was surprised since I had seen her the week before. She told me Teagan wanted to come to see me. I waited for Teagan to come by, then, through a sea of people, I spotted her at the same time she spotted me. 

She started running towards me, I ran out of the spätzle booth, and we hugged each other. You could almost hear music playing like when that happens in a movie.

Can I tell you that was the biggest and best hug I may have ever gotten? I started to get emotional but pulled myself together in under 2 seconds when I looked at how happy and healthy she was and silently thanked God. 

We talked about her prom and her trip. It was like the entire world stopped when we were talking to each other. Her smile could not only light up a room but the whole sky!

Teagan is my hero; her mother is one too. What this family went through not once but twice required so much strength and love. Teagan had the will to kick cancer’s butt because she has many things she is determined to do, like going to prom and back to school. 

Cancer affects everyone in a family. Teagan has two older brothers and a giant circle of family and friends that love and support her and Holly. I watched on Facebook how wonderful her brothers are with her, even when they are away at school. I met one of them at the market on Saturday, and we laughed that we both know a lot about each other. 

Being reunited with Teagan was a special moment in my life. Watching her run towards me still makes me smile. If it weren’t for our spätzle business, I never would have met Teagan. Everyone comes into your life with a purpose; maybe hers was to show me what true determination and strength look like.

I know I am just one small person in her big circle of supporters and fans. How lucky am I?

*** I knew I wanted to write about Teagan; this blog post practically wrote itself this morning during production. I sent Holly a message asking her if it would be ok, and she said, “Of course.” I always ask permission before writing a blog piece about someone else. I’ve only been turned down once and respected the person’s wishes.