Develyn, my hero!

(written with dev's permission)

Let me give a little history here.

My oldest sister, Simone and I are 23 years apart.

Therefore, when I was a child she was married and had

Guy, my nephew.

She married my brother-in-law, Joe who's family

was from Donaldsonville.

We spent much time there when I was a kid growing up.

You see, they lived on this old plantation land and home

owned by Joe's family.

It was huge and one of my very favorite places to visit as a child.

There was acres and acres of land to run and across the street

from the old beautiful main house was the levee and

the Mississsippi river.

We spent much time there and had many many wonderful memories

of growing up and playing in this wonderful place.

On this small heaven much of Joe's family had homestead on

the property and one of those was Joe's brother, Lewis.

Lewis had this most beautiful little girl named Develyn.

She is my nephew, Guy's first cousin and they ran around

on this property as siblings.

I remember her so much because she was beautiful.

One of those babies and little girls that you had

to stare at because she was eye-stopping.

She was also a good little playmate.

Because I had many nieces and nephews, at that time

even though I was young myself I just thought

of Develyn as one of my own nieces.

Things didn't go well in her parents marriage and

She and her mom moved off the family property and

just like all as we grow up, we all lost touch.

I asked about her as a grown up but never really

had seen her since she was a little girl.

So I was very happy a few months ago when I found her

on facebook and we befriended each other.

Surprisingly, she remembered me.

So that is the history.... now for the story.

This beautiful vibrant, wonderful woman is battling

cancer again for the second time.

Six years ago she had breast cancer and like the trooper she is

she battled that, moved on and lived her life with her

boyfriend, Jeff. She never could have her own children

but helped Jeff with his own and I must say from

what I see, these children were like her own.

In August, Dev began to have lots of pain and

went to the doctor to find out that her cancer was

not only back but widespread to her bones.

Like the trooper she was, even though the news was

not so promising she just knew that this would and could be

beat..... then in September the miracle that she never

did believe could happen....

Develyn, the beautiful, vibrant Develyn found out that

she and her wonderful love of her life, Jeff was going to

have a baby! Yes pregnant for the first time in her life

and battling cancer....

Her miracle is due in May and as I spoke with her on

facebook she has told me that the plans are low dose chemo.

for her until the baby is old enough to be born when

they will then take her miracle from her body so they

can begin high dose chemo. to get her in remission.

I have never seen such faith in a woman as in Develyn

and her Jeff.

I believe this woman will find remission.

I do not believe God would give her this beautiful child

if he did not believe she would be there to be her momma.

Pray for our Dev and her family as this has to be

hard for all involved.

Follow her Caring bridge site and leave her messages of love.

Develyn, this Collins family is on your side.

You will be the miracle just as your little baby.

Love to all of you guys.

www.caringbridge.org/visit/develynlee