Dear Justin,
Thank you for publishing this deeply personal information and salute to Bill Campbell. For me, your account trumps The New York Times’ obituary.
From the perspective of a poor girl born in Harlem, raised in Aldine Texas…
After I read your Curio yesterday, I began asking myself, “Who is my Bill Campbell?”
The pantheon containing Bill Campbell is small and exclusive. However, I must say that I have had dozens of Texas Public School Teachers who must be considered for inclusion. Their quiet impact on 100,000’s of human beings is ineffable and immeasurable. They continue to be my own “Bill Campbell”… feisty, morally challenging, caring, future-oriented. I continue to consult them when “I FEAR* that I may be a looser.” over some current roadblock. They continue to use their personalized instructional knowledge of me to reinvigorate what was a false fear.
When my hard-working Mother died in January 2004 on the Eve of Chinese New Year (She had the manners to not die in the new year.), I was nearly inconsolable because I had not been the kind of Daughter that I should have, could have been. I called Mrs. Sandoz whom I met at Hidden Valley Elementary School. She was our school nurse. Her son is my Kindergarten BFF. Mrs. Sandoz immediately stopped her busy life to be deeply present for me. She knew the whole history of my background and the economic challenges of my parents. She told me to: a) CEASE all regrets and b) START DOING EVERYTHING that I wished I could have done with my Mother with my baby daughter. As a result, I became a Girl Scouts Troop Leader in Memory of York-Ling Lee Ng while maintaining VP and Director jobs in Sili Valley. Later, Mrs. Bertone and Mr. Wesbrook reminded me of how My Mother’s sacrifices were worth the high costs. I no longer regret that she did not know much joy in this life.
Teachers never really die,
Mary Ng
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* FEAR = False Events Appearing Real
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