Lana Hoffa

Lana was the strongest person I have ever known. She faced so much adversity raising two children mostly by herself. She worked two jobs at times just to get by. She survived abusive husbands, she inspired people, and created some pretty amazing human beings. She wasn’t just my mom, she was my best friend. I remember being in elementary school and I was in a skirmish with a kid at school. After school had ended and I was crossing the street on a rainy day, I had made it across the street and I was disassembling the umbrella when the kid attacked me from behind me. I could see my mom just ahead in the minivan struggling to unbuckle her seatbelt to rush to my aid. Another time I remember is when my sister and I had skipped most of the school year in 8th grade and the administrators had called her in for a meeting. At the meeting the assistant principal informed her of our hobby of skipping school and that she was withdrawing us from the school. That ignited a fire within my mom and she cursed that woman up and down the hall, even sparking the interest of the school resource officer who poked his head in the room to make sure my mom hadn’t beaten the lady up. But that was my mom. She fought tooth and nail for everything we had. She went hungry many nights just so we wouldn’t. I can only hope that she is in some kind of eternal paradise doing what she loves and is surrounded by people she loves. I can’t wait to see her beautiful face again. She is missed dearly here on Earth. My sister and I refuse to let her be forgotten. There was an aura about my mom and the nurses at the hospice center could even see it. They said she had a strong spirit. That spirit will forever live on. I love you mom. Until I see you again, you will always live in my heart.