Jess DeDeo was an amazing human being and also a talented writer. I met her in Joey Flamm Costello's fiction class, at Reading Area Community College. At first I thought Jess was rude, opinionated, and just plain harsh. After getting to know this woman I thought she was still harsh, but also realized that she possessed a heart of gold; this heart was different that yours or mine though. Her heart was damaged, from a very young age, and she had a pace-maker inserted, in order to allow her muscle to pump normally. Don't get me wrong, she partied like the rest of the world and was always out to have a good time-The difference between Jess and me was that she was high on life, not drugs or alcohol. I was clean for quite sometime when I met her and eventually we fell in love, deeply in love. I was separated from my wife and she single also, so we hooked up, in April of 2015. We had know one another for four years, but really reconnected at the annual creativity conference, where she performed her creative nonfiction piece ,"Swing." Her work was drenched with anguish and regret-from a child's perspective, who was neglected, and mistreated. You see Jess and I shared pain, agony, and a love that many do not encounter in their lifetime. Jess died on June 13, 2015, at Hershey hospital in the cardiac intensive care unit, from heart complications, which stemmed from pneumonia. I was with her up until the end of her short life. Her family wanted to blame me for her death, insinuating that I must have led her down a path of drugs and alcohol. What her family fails to confront is the fact that I was there for her... when they were not. I supported her emotionally, while she was getting backlash, for being who she truly was. I loved this woman with all of my heart and soul! Period...I have made many mistakes in my 41 years on this planet, but hurting the woman I adored, was not on that list of regrets. You see when a person passes away, people look to blame the one who was closest to them at the time of their death. Jess was living with me for the final 3 weeks of her life, because she could not deal with her mother's alcoholism, and the tension at home. I am not here to defend myself, because I am not in the wrong, I am simply speaking out on something that I have buried, for the past 3 years. After Jess died, I was on a suicide mission-laced with heroin, Xanax, and 30mg. pills. I overdosed on December 15th 2015, and was brought back to life, by a close friend. So, I say all this to let you know who Jess was, in relation to me. On July 21st, 2018 I am holding a charitable walk for life, in memory of Jessica Suzanne DeDeo... It will be from 11am to 2pm, at Kutztown Bible Fellowship Church, in Kutztown PA. The registration fee is $10 and the proceeds will go to an annual writing scholarship, for Ebonybloodletting76 as well as to The American Heart Association. Jess' family kept her burial location hidden from her close friends, but I found her grave and placed a blank notebook, pen, and purple flowers by her head stone, in 2016. She is buried in Reading, PA by Kutztown Road. This walk will be a celebration of her life, a wonderful , joyful, and spirited event that will bring people together, rather than tear them apart. The walk will be 1.5 miles and take place rain or shine! It will be stroller and pet friendly as well. If you are interested, please email ebonybloodletting76@gmail.com or visit me on Facebook @ Cat Mahony. (484)523-5393
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