Our late mother’s name is Justine Lacey. She passed away unexpectedly on January 2, 2024, at the age of 48. She was a beloved wife to our father, Shane, for 23 years. A loving mother to the 5 of us (Skylar 24, Jake 21, Ava 18, Nick 15, and Peyton 11). As well as a devoted daughter and sister.

What Was Your Mom Like?

Our mom was always smiling. She brought joy and sunshine to every occasion, and there was always an occasion! Her laugh was loud and infectious. She made our home feel alive with joy and laughter for all who entered. In her absence, a profound silence lingers; we long for her presence each and every day. Judgment was never in her nature; she treated everyone with kindness and respect, regardless of their appearance, circumstances or abilities. She saw people for who they truly were and opened her heart to them in return.

When Did Your Mom Feel Bouts of Pancreatitis?

On Thursday December 28th, 2023, our mother woke up “not feeling herself.” She thought it was a result of coming down from all the holiday hustle and bustle. However shortly after lunch she was up in bed with extreme stomach pains. The pain became so unbearable that she asked my father to take her to the emergency room. After hours of blood work, CAT scan, ultrasound, and finally pain meds my mom was admitted into the hospital early the following morning. Doctors diagnosed her with severe acute pancreatitis. Her treatment plan at the hospital was intravenous fluids and no food by mouth.

We were able to visit her Friday, December 29th. She was not herself. She was on high doses of pain medication and unable to talk much due to her discomfort. However, we were thankful we were able to keep her company on what we did not know would be her last day able to see/speak to us. That night we received uplifting news that my mom was on the (slow) road to recovery. We were thankful and hopeful.

Unfortunately, in the early hours of December 30th my mom’s health quickly took a turn for the worse. Due to heavy fluid retention my mom’s breathing became very labored, and she was moved to the ICU to be intubated. From there things quickly spiraled out of control, her pancreas continued to swell, her liver and kidneys began to fail, her blood pressure was erratic, and her heart rate was rapid. In the early morning hours of January 1, 2024, doctors believe my mom suffered a catastrophic stroke. On January 2, 2024, our whole world shattered and we were shaken to our core. We had to say goodbye to the best wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend that day.

While in the ICU, saying our final goodbyes to our mom, we turned to the nurse and told her, “This lady is the best mom out there. We know you probably hear that a lot here, because every kid thinks they have the greatest mom in the world, but this woman right here really is.” Our mom was different from everyone else. While others sought material possessions, she cherished quality time with our family. A Walmart sweatshirt, leggings, and a pair of flip flops was all she needed. While she would spend her last cent making sure the rest of us had exactly what we wanted. She was truly the most amazing person, and we will spend the rest of our lives trying to be more like her.

Our lives will never be the same. We are heartbroken beyond repair. However, amid our sadness we want to honor my mom’s memory by helping to raise awareness around pancreatic diseases, specifically pancreatitis. We’re most grateful to be collaborating with The National Pancreas Foundation. We hope this collaboration can increase awareness and drive positive change in the treatment of this horrible disease that took my mother’s life and shattered our family.