The last few days had been rough for my dear friend, Tracey Clarke. She has been completely unresponsive for the past 5-7 days.
On the Evening of December 26th, Craig Clarke (her husband) wrote the following on their blog:
After waging significant battles and climbing steep mountains for 29 months, I am praying it will be a downhill ride for Tracey for the rest of the way. Will you pray that with me?
A world without Tracey Clarke — how can that be?
I am thinking about heaven tonight and how this verse reminds us that it’s glory is beyond our conception.
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”— 2 Corinthians 2:9
Craig and I talked early this morning. His words were heavy with emotion and conviction. “Tracey has gone to heaven.”
After 29 miraculous months of fighting brain tumors and clinging to her faith (and husband), my dear friend Tracey Clarke has awoken this morning in the direct presence of her Savior, Christ Jesus.
There are many emotions pounding in my soul right now, as tears are flowing and my heart is heavy for Craig. However no emotion is stronger than this. . . Tracey is home now. She has traded in her cancer ravaged body for that of perfection and beauty unspeakable.
Craig was literally lying beside Tracey in the middle of the night when she passed from this temporal world into eternity. This is exactly what Craig had prayed for and asked many of us to pray the same just three days ago.
There had been people preparing Craig for a painful last few weeks for Tracey. He dreaded this. He prayed against this. The Lord answered. It truly was a peaceful, “downhill ride” . . . exactly as we had all prayed.
Last night, just after hanging up with Craig and right before I fell off to sleep, I was prompted to read 2 Corinthians 4:13-15.
knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.
Craig is hurting from the absence of his dear wife, as I am for my friend. However, it is a powerful and wonderful reality that the same God who “raised the Lord Jesus” has done the same for Tracey this very day.
For Tracey, there is finally no more tears and pains, but rather contentment, completion, and unhindered joy.
Please pray for Craig, though, as his life will never be the same.
I had been waiting to post this until Craig had communicated news of Tracey’s passing on social media. Please take time to read this post of Craig’s which he just wrote. He is an incredible man.
(Previous articles on Tracy Clarke are Let me tell you about my friend, Tracey. . . and her current journey and Praying for my friend, Tracey. Also, I wrote thoughts on Tracey and Philip Clarke in the following article; The moment Tracey and Phil met.)
So sad; weeping with this news, read Craig’s post… have friends who have walked through a similar battle. So hard; rejoicing through the pain and tears that we have a Living Hope to carry through the grief.
Thanks for letting me know. Please keep Craig in your prayers in the coming months. I’m sure he will need it.
Thanks Tammie!
John,
I am so sorry for your loss of a dear friend and also for how you must be grieving for Craig. And yet it is clear that you are rejoicing with Tracey as she has met her Savior and more healed and whole than ever before. Tears sting in my eyes as I imagine what it must be like.
Thank you for sharing.
Erin
Erin,thanks for your empathy and encouragement. Yes, it truly is a bittersweet time.
John- Just want to say I am right there with you. My aunt just died of cancer a few days ago (the 27th). I find myself comforted in reading your words, and those of Tracey’s husband. I too, am deeply comforted by her not being in any pain any more and being in a better place. It was beautiful to read that Tracey went in her sleep, just as her husband had prayed for- no more pain or suffering. I will be praying for you. I know of 4 people who have lost family or friends during this week. Peace and comfort to you.
Thanks Rebecca. I am so sorry to hear about your aunt. Wow. . . 4 people all this week. Rough week.
Great hearing from you.
John,
This is too sad, great (i.e. huge) and beautiful for me to comprehend. My heart aches you and the Clarke family. Thank you for sharing their journey. Craig’s faith is astounding… I’ll be praying for continued peace during this time of sadness and grieving. I hope you have good friends nearby who can walk alongside you right now.
Caroline, great hearing from you. It has been way, way to long since I have been able to spend time with you guys.
Thanks for you kind words and empathy here. Very comforting.
John,
I’m so sorry for your loss and that of your friend Craig.
Stephanie
Thanks Stephanie. I appreciate it.
I feel honored to have been able to follow Tracey and Craig’s journey for so many months. The love and devotion these two shared is a “True Love Story” filled with faith in the Lord Jesus. Tracey lost her battle of cancer with Craig by her side, but she gave it her all. I am happy that she went to Heaven in such a peaceful way, that alone was a blessing. Keeping Craig, the family and you in my prayers. Love and Hugs!
Thanks Jane. Hope you are well!
I got to visit with Tracey and Craig on Friday of last week, and it was such a huge change from when I’d seen her just a few months before. Both Tracey and Craig have played an important role in my adult life–she was the older sister that I’d always wanted, and sometimes more like a twin. Her birthday is 3 days before mine, even. Tracey and Craig were both at the hospital the night my son was born back in 2009; they held him shortly after my husband and my mom. I’ve had the pleasure of spending many mornings with Tracey, drinking tea or walking the canal path and contemplating life, familial relationships, my kids, religion–we had vastly different, diverging views, but she was always willing to discuss faith with an amount of grace I have yet to see in anyone else. She had a quiet but strong presence that ALWAYS put me at peace when she was around. There were plenty of times that we didn’t have to say a word, that we were content just to be together in the same place despite schedules. She also had a sassy sense of humor at times. When we first met, I didn’t know that she was a passionate animal-lover, and I made chicken & dumplings. Later, I found out that she preferred not to eat meat if she could help it, and I told her that, should I ever be in a plane crash in snowy mountains, I’d want to go down in the plane with her… Of course she gave me a questioning look… Referring back to Morrissey’s shirt, I said, “Because you don’t eat your friends.” I could make silly jokes and she’d laugh at them which stroked my ego quite a bit. We moved overseas shortly after she was diagnosed, and my biggest fear was that we were going to lose her within that 18 month window that is attached to every newly-diagnosed GBM patient, but she fought through, and continued to fight much longer and harder than anyone expected. Craig did a commendable job of caring for her from the initial ER trip to her last moments, and I seriously doubt that she would have received better care anywhere else. I am grateful that they are such a huge part of my life. I am also grateful that she is finally at peace and no longer suffering and that I got to say goodbye one last time. Now our thoughts and strength are turned to supporting and caring for Craig, who is just as phenomenal as his wife. From a friend of a friend to a friend of the same, thank you for chronicling Tracey and Craig’s journey in such a passionate way–Tracey and Craig deserve nothing less.
Kari,
This is a beautiful, wonderful recollection and recalling of Tracey. Seriously, tears came to my eyes as I have finally had the energy to read over these comments. Yours here are a wonderful tribute to our dear friend, Tracey.
Craig has told me how Tracey loved you and how you guys have both been such a blessing to Craig and Tracey over these past few months.
Blessings to you guys, as we all will certainly keep the joy of Tracey’s memory with us for the rest of our lives.
Thanks so much for sharing here.
Although ultimately rejoicing at the freedom from cancer and the healing of Tracey’s body, am sharing the grief you, Craig and your extended families and friends will be feeling now and a long time to come. I’ll continue to pray over the next days and months for Craig especially, but also for all of you who dearly loved your Tracey! Thanks for including her story and prayer needs in your blog, John! Grace and peace…Lex
Thanks Alexis. It truly is a blessing being able to be here with Craig during these days. Thanks for your prayers and concern. Craig is blown away with how many people are praying and have been touched by Tracey’s story and life.
My deepest condolences to Tracey’s family and friends! I am so sorry.
John 11:25 – Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.
1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 –
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others who have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so will God bring with Him those also who sleep in Jesus.
15 For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord: that we who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who are asleep.
16 For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first;
17 then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
May the suffering be comforted by our good Father and this blessed assurance!
Thanks Ilulia. . . beautiful passage. Great hearing from you, as always!
Praying!
Thanks Ashley!
Hey John, Thanks for speaking up about this. Your thoughtfulness and heart have been hewn from your earlier experience and your relationships, especially with the Clarkes. Well Done!
Trent
Thanks Trent. Your encouragement in this blog has been a huge blessing, my brother.