One Awesome Liz

Yesterday, I was shocked and saddened to learn via Twitter of all places that Elizabeth Hohenadel had died suddenly. I never met Liz in person but had come to know her through her blogs, One Awkward Year and later Hottsauce, through her comments back and forth with me and via her social media presence. In the dark place that is the Internet, Liz was a light of good cheer, goofiness and joy for life. No, it was a determination to enjoy life, despite everything the world threw at her and the never-ending awkwardness of being a young person trying to survive everyday nonsense.

Liz had just turned 34. Five months ago, she and her husband Brian welcomed their little boy Owen. This is all heartbreaking on so many levels. I can only imagine the depth of grief among those who were truly close to Liz and loved her so.

Many of the people I first met with on WordPress are no longer active. As in real life, relationships begin and end. But there are certain writers we connect with, whom we look forward to hearing from, whose lives we invest in. I was so happy to have met one in real life this past summer and am sad that I won’t be hearing from Liz again. Don’t kid yourself, bloggers; the connections we make here are real.

A GoFundMe account has been set up to establish a scholarship fund for Owen. Yesterday, around this time, 190 people had raised $25,000 of a $35,000 goal. This morning, the goal is $100,000, and they’re at $72,600. More than 650 people have responded. I think that’s beautiful.

This was the last photo Liz posted on One Awkward Year before signing off in 2015. I love it.