| Home > Cedartown HS In Memory of Tammy Hopkins-Cheatwood |
Cedartown High School Memorial Page for:
Tammy Hopkins-Cheatwood - Class of 1985
Created by: Jill Mccollum
Memorial Message:
RIP: Feb 21st 1967 - Oct 1st 2007
"LULU" Live Under Life’s Umbrella
LULU is what a few of us use to call her and now I know what that nickname truly means (her legacy) LULU= Live under life’s umbrella. Protect & teach (Melanoma)
Written by Jill McCollum McManigal (Tammy's cousin)
Believe me, this is one tough thing for me to write about. Tammy was a wife and a mother of 2 children (Ashley and Zachary)...She truly loved her kids... She had a kind heart. She stood for what she believed in. Her soft spoken voice and laughter will be missed. I will tell you my favorite memories. I remember as kids we would argue at times :) (We were more likes sisters than cousins) but we also were the best of friends. I remember our fun times playing at the barn behind her house, at our grandmothers house at Christmas or any other day we spent there, holiday shopping, spending time at the beach at her condo and swimming at Johnson's Lake (Just to name a few) There are sooo many things I could write about that I remember, but I want to really focus on the reason she is not with me and my family today. Tammy loved (just like me) the beach, the sun, and at times tanning beds. These things caused us to lose her. She would want me or someone to not let her death go un-noticed to others, and to help prevent this from happening to other people and the people she loved. I remember in June 2007, Tammy was brought to Redmond Park Hospital. As I entered her room, I followed her IV pole into the bathroom where I did not hesitate to sit on the tub and reach for her hand. She looked at me and said, Jill it's not good. I held back my tears and I replied, Tammy, If you can find ANY good out of what you are going through and what you will experience just remember you may have saved my life or someone else’s. You are NOT alone, you have family and friends who love you and will fight this battle with you. I said, don’t ever give up! She replied, I'm NOT... (And she was strong until the end)... We would text message each other almost every day, even up until almost the end of her journey. We all watched her young, healthy body go from being strong to weak. Not one time did I ever hear her complain or say "Why Me?" I remember the looks she would give to me as if she was taking it all in as it could be her last. The last day I saw her, I climbed up in the bed and laid down beside her and I knew this time with her would be our last time together. We lost her to her battle and fight on October 1, 2007 I know in my heart she is happy now and free of pain and worry. "She can now visit the beach she loved at any time ". She is now with other loved ones who have passed before us. I have promised myself that I would not let this deadly thief (melanoma) attack someone else without spreading the word of the precious person it has stolen from me and my family. I will continue to spread the word of its prevention, diagnosis, treatment, risk factors. And, I ask you to please help me. I can now say that I DO NOT get into tanning bed, nor do I lie out in the sun to get a tan. I am teaching my children and others the importance of using sun screen, perform skin exams, etc. PLEASE help me spread the word about ultraviolet rays, skin cancer, preventions, sunscreen etc. Help me find some good out of Tammy’s death and the short life she lived. No one believes that it could happen to them or someone they love, but it has hit my family and I know what it can do. She is GREATLY missed. I love and miss you LULU. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think of you often.
Memorial Messages from CHS alumni:
There are currently no messages for Tammy Hopkins-Cheatwood.
Cedartown HS alumni can use the form below to post memories of Tammy Hopkins-Cheatwood.