Sometimes the most power gift you can give another person is to believe in them. That's what Denise Cramsey did for me.
Denise died suddenly Nov. 23 after suffering a brain aneurysm. She was 41.
It is hard for me to put into words how much I appreciated her integrity and commitment to help others in every project she did from Extreme Makeover Home Edition to School Pride.
Denise and I were in the midst of developing my celebrity weight loss trek up Kilimanjaro into a television docu-series. Denise was kind, funny and a delight to know. Our last conversation, which was a week before she died, was laughing about one network's rejection because the project was "too earnest" for them. We took it as a compliment.
I attended Denise's wake on Dec. 1 in Allentown, Pa. It was an opportunity to thank her for all she did, for believing in me and my vision. That meant the world to me. There were so many people touched by her life. I feel blessed for having been one of them. The world is a better place because of her.
I decided to continue the Kilimanjaro project in Denise's memory -- to help others who feel stuck in their weight loss journey. My fellow hikers and I decided to postpone our trek from February to July 30-Aug. 14, 2011 so we can do it the right way.
Another memorial for Denise will be held 3:30 p.m. Dec. 15 at the Academy of Television Arts and Science in Los Angeles, CA.
Scott Farquharson, Denise’s fiance, is collecting notes to Denise that will ultimately buried in a place that she would love -- near the summit of Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the 48 contiguous states at over 14,490 feet.
It is a fitting tribute for a woman who moved mountains.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Denise Cramsey Memorial fund, through Wells Fargo acct. # 6708486094. Contributions will help pay for the memorial and will be donated to Expedition Inspiration fund for breast cancer research. Checks for the memorial fund or notes may be sent to Scott Farquharson at 686 Camino Manzanas, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360.
