Woo Who! Nice ass! Was a cheer my wife shouted to a friend as she approached her putt in the annual putting contest at our local parish golf outing. It was a hysterical moment among friends, but the moment meant so much more to her friends than I ever suspected. To them, the shout represented her humor, love of friendship, and zest for life. Anyone outside that group would never believe that the diminutive blonde woman, who exclaimed, ‘Woo Who’, was fighting for her life. Nor would they believe the ‘blonde hair’ was actually a ‘fun wig’ the red haired Irish woman wore to cover her bald head. They could never have guessed Tricia was in the midst of continuous, aggressive chemotherapy to fight the breast cancer that recurred in her.
But that was Tricia’s way. She could be battling and suffering inside, but outside she was full of life and positive energy. She believed that family and friends were most important in life, after God, and she wanted to fully enjoy her time with them. She believed we should trust in God, be positive, and bear whatever cross we are given. And most importantly, she believed that the ultimate path to happiness resides in a life focused on helping others. Tricia’s life was an inspiration to so many because she was selfless, spirited, and feisty. She taught us so much about how to live life as she battled breast cancer. She left me and our three kids (Kelly 14, Ian 13, Maeve 10, at the time) well prepared to live life without her. Her story and inspirations need to be shared with others.
‘Woo Who’ became her battle cry. ‘Woo Who’ represents her energy and positive spirit focused on servitude. ‘Woo Who’ lives on today as a non-profit foundation geared toward helping families enduring similar trials as we did. Our annual fundraiser is a big party that generates tens of thousands of dollars. “Woo Who, A Simple Guide to Living”, captures the essence of what Tricia believed in and how she behaved. The book tells Tricia’s story and gives us a path to follow regardless of what hardship we may be experiencing. By default, the story is also a beautiful love story that teaches us all to stick to who and what we believe in. The writing is candid and intimate. I wrote the story for myself and my family. As I had others outside the family read the story to help me edit it, they encouraged me to share it. I believe in the power of Tricia’s story – the power of ‘Woo Who’. Tricia’s goal was to help others, so I would like to continue that mission and publish her story so millions of people can benefit from her normal, selfless, passionate, and inspirational life story. TRICIA'S STORY
