Carrie Lynn Marzolf
Posted by Love Hope Strength on Feb 16, 2009
Born and raised in Buffalo, New York…I endured 25 years of snowstorms that made and continue to make every other state in the Union shudder. Now, I reside in Phoenix, Arizona and endure heat that makes, well, every other state in the Union shudder. This dichotomy is exemplary in describing me in a few short words…a woman of extremes.
Currently, I am a Clinical Microbiologist working for the U.S. Government’s Department of Veteran’s Affairs. A job that gives me the good fortune to potentially assist in saving a life almost every day, a satisfaction that cannot be matched.
Growing up, I had a deep appreciation of nature and a love of the outdoors. As a little girl, I found myself climbing anything and everything I could find. My grandmother often found me sitting high in the tree in her backyard…sometimes for hours. My early journal pages would dictate dreams to travel the globe, to stand atop mountains across the continents, bearing a camera in hand, capturing the essence of the beauty of this World, and indulging in other cultures so I could connect, on a universal level, with all people.
Eventually, I left New York and all that I “knew” behind only to find myself struggling just to find food to eat, a decent place to lay my head at night, and the ability to put clothes on my back. My dreams didn’t immediately come to fruition but I’ve never abandoned the possibility of being able to follow through on them.
In February 2005, I nearly died in a motorcycle accident. My world would shift. My body would suffer. My thoughts would go awry. I went from being an intensely active individual to someone who had trouble just walking. How can this be? It is then, though, that you cultivate a deeper meaning and value for your existence on this planet. And…with a little love, hope, and strength…the possibilities are endless to achieve ANYTHING, including your rise back to wellness.
So here I am today…about to engage in something that I have dreamed about my whole life. A devotion to give. A fondness of nature and culture. A passion for travel and adventure. But most importantly, in dedication for my grandmother, Kathryn Marzolf, who passed away from cancer in 1990. I am not exempt, like most of us, in knowing cancer and battling its effects. A day does not go by where I don’t think about her and the tremendous influence she had on my life. She was my hero and, with her death, I struggled ten long years to cope with it. I vowed that I would do something special on her behalf during my lifetime. I have been waiting 19 years for “it”. And then…LHS and my friend, Cy Curnin, present “it”, the precious opportunity, before me. I am so appreciative for being a part of Kilimanjaro Rocks that words cannot express my gratitude. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. My trek and fund-raising efforts go towards healing, helping, and hopefully giving someone else out there a little more time with someone who means the world to them.
