It was a busy Sunday for me attending two gathering but ending with a shock. For the VWBPE and the Burn2 events I turned off all my notifications from groups. I started to restore some during the week but evidently got distracted and forgot to finish. Sunday afternoon while over at the Bellisseria Hammie’s party I had an im from my friend, Melvin Starbrook, ”Come to the parade.” My answer,” what parade? . I was shocked when she answered “the memorial for Frannydj” and passed a notecard.
“It is with great sadness to inform everyone that FrannyDj Dean transitioned from this world on February 21st. 2023. She contracted covid while in the hospital.”
You recall I always covered Frannydj’s marvelous parades and Woodstock. I did cover the 22 Macy’s parade and the Christmas on tour. We talked at the Christmas parade and I tried to reach her at the end of January to ask about Mardi Gras but had no answer and now I know why.
I missed most of the Celebration of Life but did get over to the parade as soon as I heard from Melvin. Thanks to her dear friends who held the memorial for her. They are hoping to continue the parades into the future.
In real life she was an artist and musician. In her profile she says, “I
am Every woman… My world is filled with love, passion and friendship.
Life is not about skirting around the storms, it is about learning to
dance in the rain..If you can not love and forgive me at my worst then
you don't deserve me at my best..…” and “SOMETIMES....we need to stop
analyzing the past, stop planning the future, stop figuring out how we
feel, stop deciding with our minds what we want our hearts to feel, and
just go with "whatever happens, happens". Just enjoy the ride and count
your blessings ♥♥ ” and she did.
She and her
parades and parties on the steamship will be sorely missed. I actually
changed to the outfit I wore at the first Woodstock I attended back in
2018 to end the evening on the steamship after the parade.
There
are many who will hold you in their rl and sl memories. I will remember
hopping on those wonderful floats and dancing down 5th avenue by Macy’s
and running in to see Santa , or arriving on Bourbon St in New Orleans.
I hopped on many of the 100 floats or balloons or stopped by the circus
nearby or walked the quiet streets of stately homes and enjoyed it all
every year.
Last week, word had gotten around that Salem De White
(Selene Spellhunter), best known as one of the Giant Snail Racing team,
had passed away. On Saturday at 5PM, a memorial service was held in her
honor, attended by many friends of hers. RacerX would latter comment, "The vampires and the Giant
Snail folks come together over the love of a special lady."
Edgar Gravois (edgar96.gravois) started the event, "I want to thank all of you for coming to this celebration of life for Salem. I would like to open this gathering by saying a few words, then I will open it to anyone else who would like to offer words about Salem."
"Beloved friends and family, all who knew and loved Salem, thank you for being here with us. We come here at this sad time to remember our daughter, sister, friend. Salem struggled mightily against her illness and was courageous even in the darkest times. As one privileged to know her through those times, I carry with me the memory of her courage, as well as the light that shown within her. That light has moved on to shine in another place now. But I believe it continues to shine. I choose to remember and celebrate the life of Salem, as we knew her.
"I celebrate ...her beauty ...her wit ...her talent in building ...her kindness ...her humor ...her sense of fun ...her love for family ...her joy. All of these things remain with me because i keep them in my heart, and always will. I am grateful that I know Salem, that she has been a part of my life, and I a part of hers. I believe we come into one another's lives for a reason, and when it is time for us to go on, there is a reason for that as well. I cannot say I know the reason why Salem had to leave us now. But I do know she is still with us in our hearts.
"I have asked DJ Dark to play a special song for Salem, if you will all please listen he will cue it now. Salem, sweet daughter, this song is for you." And with that, a song began playing over the radio stream, "Into the West" by Peter Hollens. And with that, several smiled and cried, "My sister is living a better reality." "We Loves you Forever Salem Sis." "You Will Allways Be Honored And Loved Salem." "God Called Salem Home so she would not have any more pain."
Slinky Gravois (slinky.lorgsval) was next, "Welcome everyone. Thank each of you for coming here tonight. It is a comfort to be together and share our feelings and to see that Salem has so many friends. Edgar and I met Salem soon after we each joined SL. She has always been part of our family here. Actually, it was Salem who first introduced me to some of the things in SL: Giant Snail Races, Relay for Life, SL Pride..... Salem is a part of us and always will be."
"I don't have any more works to describe how I feel about Salem, so I'll just repeat something I posted on FaceBook. 'My dear sweet Salem, daughter of my heart. This life wasn't always fair to you. This life wasn't always kind to you. Yet you've always had love to give, and people who love you for the kind and gentle soul you are. I wish you nothing but joy as you continue your journey. You carry all our love forever."
Racer
X's spoke the following, "Yesterday found out my friend and co-host of
the giant snail races Salem passed away last Monday. I write this with
tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat. She was a big part of my life.
(She was) with us on the Giant Snail Since 2007 shortly after we moved
the track from the future back to what was Montmartre. Salem just showed
up one day at the races and was immediately accepted as one of us. She
started out making some great snail sci fi mods: the Enterprise, Iron
Man, AT-AT, Snail, and a few others.
"She raced for a
while but she really shined when we put her on the Skype call with us.
We put her in the booth almost immediately. She was funny and a quick
wit. But most of all Salem became a great friend. Always ready to do any
crazy Idea I came up with. She could do any job we gave her. I miss her
so much.
"She hasn't been on the show these last few
months due to her illness. A couple weeks ago She was crying because she
just wanted to go home from the hospital. The next week she was home
and it was a Saturday. She called in and said she just wanted to go out
and see the sun. I said that's fine just take care have today off and
have fun well be ok. So she had her day in the sun."
"I
just watched the last show we did with Salem on the Skype call with us,
2 months ago. (It) was our Summer camp episode. She said "Yowzer" to
one of my stupid comments made me laugh. At least well always have that
slice of Salem being Salem on the past race videos. With her interesting
and funny way of looking at things immortalized on YouTube and
Treet.tv. I know I'll be watching them
over and over now. We lost a good friend to the vast universe.
"I
like to think she's just off on another great adventure and well catch
up soon. As Salem would often say 'I is Salem.' To me She still is. and
always will be."
Mae Best was next, "Salem was my friend in both worlds. As her illness progressed in one world, her spirit lived harder in this one. We were her Second life in more ways than many of you can imagine. We made her life livable. We made her spirit free. We were her joy and her comfort. We were her favorite part of her life. I can't express how much I am going to miss that little girl. I know you all are going to miss her too. I know I am not the only one crying right now. She was amazing. She was Best in Show, and I miss her. She was so awesome (smile)."
Yanni Zifer, "If I may speak from here...we were among the first in rfn family line... I loved her quirkiness and of humor ... and I will miss her terribly... I started to wear all white tonight .. but I just could not stop crying long enough to put an outfit together,,, I pray our angel is flying high.. and I am so thankful for no more pain in her life."
Safra Nitely was the next speaker, "She was loyal to her friends, loyal to her team, and supportive, she always wanted to see people get the best experiance they could. and she would help all she could to do that. Salem had a lot of ill health in her later life, but she never lost hope, dipite the challanges it gave her, she never lost hope, and laways looked forwards to the next show the next event. She will be and is missed. God bless her soul, give her freedom from her pain, give her shelter in his light, she was a good person who tried her best of others, without thought to herself."
Andreas Winsmore offered, "I will say that Salem will live in my heart for ever, she was a fantastic sister, and a total friend, talented as a builder... and as a person.... and there is not enough worlds to describe such an incredible person, shw is with us forever... and I am so glad to had the chance to met her and call her my sister... the unique, the courageous and the fantastic Salem, hugs and kisses dear till I see you again!"
Edgar had some final words, "I know that among all of you are people with different beliefs, and some do not have beliefs about spiritual things at all. Nevertheless... I believe something remains of us after we leave this plane. And I think you will all agree that Salem left with us a bit of herself. And that part will go on, and live on, and we will not forget her. Here she could be herself, and be loved for who is really is. That's a benefit SL affords us all. Thank you all for coming to celebrate the life of our beloved Salem."
After the service, people were asked to sign a guestbook, and invited to a memorial dance to help celebrate Salem. RacerX also shared a video he made as a tribute to Salem: (Click here if the video fails to play) .
And so, Salem De White's friends, both vampires and Snail Racers, as well as others, bade farewell to their friend and teammate. It was obvious she would not soon be forgotten.
