Introduction

Nechama Liba was 5 years old when she was diagnosed. It was just around the time of her birthday and she was taken for a routine checkup. My wife called me on my cell to tell me that the doctor heard a murmur and suggested that we see a cardiologist. A Friend told me not to worry considering that many people have harmless heart murmers. I took her to the cardiologist for an echo and an ekg. And heard the news that every parent dreads. "Mr. Holman, your daughter is very sick. She has pulmonary hypertension." Pulmonary Hypertension is a rare heart-lung condition affecting 1 in 2 million. Extreme lung pressure builds up resisting the blood flow to the lungs eventually causing heart failure. What followed were 6 years of pain and crisis. What might be shocking is that in all the years Nechama never complained, except when she was bored. She smiled almost all the time. She suffered but her warm bright smiled concealed to the world how sick she was. Her demeanor led even my wife and I to believe that she did not understand how sick she was. We learned only after she passed away, from a confidant of hers, that she knew that she would die young and she sought to protect us from knowing that she knew. During that time, she survived beyond what anyone in her condition had ever gone through. Three days before she turned 11, on the 18th of av, August 5th 2004, she died after 5 weeks on a respirator in the ICU. During those 5 weeks, hundreds, if not thousands of people davened, learned and increased their mitzos on her behalf. The Far Rockaway community was turned on its side. We owe them our debt that can only be repaid by Hashem. In her quiet unassuming way, she inspired the masses and taught how to suffer bAhavah.