Monday, March 23, 2009

Goodbye to a Friend

We just received notice today that Michael Wei Zixiong, our guide in Guangxi, China, when we adopted Emily, died suddenly of a cerebral hemmorrhage. He leaves behind a wife and an 8-year old son.

Michael was a fantastic guide. He took such great care of us, staying on the same floor as all the new families, available 24 hours a day, running out for formula, diapers, or medicine, finding us places to eat, and just enjoying our new babies with us. He was our hero, even as he called us American families his heroes. He adored Emily and held her whenever he could. In fact, he murmered softly in Chinese to the girls when they were having their hardest moments, and we know it helped them as they grieved for their nannies. We hoped to meet Michael and his family again one day with Emily at a reunion in Colorado where our adoption agency resides.

We will miss him terribly.