From Lori Muhr:

Of course, when I think of Cynthia, I remember how giving and caring she was, without fail.  When she did her first marathon in San Diego, I couldn't go because I was too close to my due date with Rider. I was heartbroken because I wanted to support Cynthia and see her cross that finish line.  She was also disappointed because she was going to have some friends and family accompany her but they couldn't make it and now I wasn't going to be there.  So, despite a heavy heart, Cynthia, with her positive attitude and mammoth determination, Cynthia went to San Diego and completed her marathon.  She was ecstatic!  Rider was born shortly after she returned and Cynthia drove out to Grafton just to bring him a gift and to give me a hug.  She didn't stay for more than 15 minutes because she had another appointment and off she went.  It was so important to her to see Rider and to thank Rick and me for the support we gave her that she drove an hour just to say "thank you".

Another memory is when Cynthia came to Grafton for Rick's 50 mile run on the track for his Man Of the Year campaign.  She spent her entire Easter Sunday on the field with us to support Rick in his run.  My mom met Cynthia for the first time that day and this is what she says: "Cynthia immediately stole my heart.  Here was a young sweet girl from Ecuador, so humble and genuine and so friendly.  We walked the last lap of Rick's run together laughing and enjoying the day.  I felt like I had known her for years." 

At the end of that day, I hugged Cynthia and thanked her for being with us all day and she simply said "I can't think of a better way to have spent my Easter."

One of my favorite memories brings a smile to my face every time.  Cynthia, my brother Jay, and I spent most of the night together during  Rick's Man of the Year celebration.  As brothers and sisters sometimes do, Jay and I were ribbing each other about various things and Cynthia was right there in her diplomatic way trying to "defend" each of us from the jabs we were giving.  We all enjoyed the laughter that evening. 

During the last weeks before the Boston marathon, Cynthia called me almost daily to "check in".  She was so excited to have her family coming to visit and was trying to complete her dissertation and prepare herself for the marathon.  I don't think her feet were even touching the ground.   I think of those calls and her gitty excitement and it makes me smile.  I am so grateful that Cynthia touched my life.