House Concurrent Resolution 77

(As Adopted by House and Senate)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF MS. STEPHANIE LEE AND EXPRESSING DEEP SYMPATHY UPON HER PASSING.

WHEREAS, "To everything there is a season, and time to every purpose under the Heaven," and as such, the grand architect of the universe, the immaculate author and finisher of our soul's destiny, has summoned the mortal presence of dearly beloved Stephanie Lee, to eternal rest, as she has made life's final transition from earthly travailing to heavenly reward, rendering great sorrow and loss to her family, colleagues and friends; and

WHEREAS, her long battle with colon cancer ended her life, but her spirit of resilience and fortitude will live on in her two daughters, Kamri and Marchelle; and

WHEREAS, the life and times of Ms. Stephanie Lee had taken many tragic twists that strengthened her and made her a beacon of hope for millions; and

WHEREAS, her story of tragedy and hope were chronicled on CBS television and Esquire magazine; and

WHEREAS, born an only child of Renee Sargent, she was legally adopted by her grandparents, Ella and Joseph Carter, soon after she was born; and

WHEREAS, like many, she experienced heartache at a young age, but unlike many, heartache and disappointment would reverberate throughout her life; and

WHEREAS, she found herself pregnant and alone during her senior year of high school, but not one to give up because of an unplanned pregnancy, she joined the Ingalls pipefitter's apprentice program, where she completed the four-year apprenticeship and earned her associate's degree from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in occupational education, and also earned a degree in drafting and design from the same college; and

WHEREAS, while at Ingalls, she met Terrance Lee, who was a welder, who would become her husband in 2002; and

WHEREAS, her years with Terrance were her happiest, as they looked to the future when, in 2003, Terrance joined the National Guard, where he planned to work weekends and continue with Ingalls as his major source of income; and

WHEREAS, in 2004, Stephanie's grandmother was tragically killed in a head-on car crash with a driver who was high on meth, and her grandfather would die soon after, in October of that same year; and

WHEREAS, tragedy struck again in 2005, when Terrance was killed, while on duty in Iraq, when Stephanie was just seven months pregnant; and

WHEREAS, soon after Terrance's death, Hurricane Katrina struck the coast, while Stephanie was nine months pregnant and alone, but Stephanie's survival instincts kicked in and while nine months pregnant, she drove to Louisiana for a generator and other supplies so her family could survive; and

WHEREAS, throughout the years, Stephanie's spirit of perseverance kicked in, she became gainfully employed and worked hard to earn a living and care for her family until, she started to experience extreme fatigue; and

WHEREAS, she sought medical attention for the fatigue, but was given bad news once again; and

WHEREAS, she was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer on Mother's Day weekend; and

WHEREAS, after suffering with this information alone for months, she confided in an old friend, Mark Warren, who was the writer who had written a story about Terrance's death; and

WHEREAS, unbeknownst to Stephanie, Mark Warren, used his influence to have Stephanie accepted as one of 20 people in a cancer study, which looks to use genome sequencing to create drug combinations for cancer; and

WHEREAS, Stephanie was entered into a study with a team of world class scientists to study her cancer, and possibly develop a potential drug for Stephanie's cancer; and

WHEREAS, during her battle, Stephanie's faith kept her strong and resilient; and

WHEREAS, she told her story and continued to faithfully fight the disease, so she could "see her babies grow up"; and

WHEREAS, at the tender age of 38 years old, Stephanie will be reunited with her husband Terrance, as she will be buried with him; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to commend the life and legacy of Mississippians, such as Ms. Stephanie Lee, who tried to bring positivity in spite of great tragedy in her life: NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby honor the life and legacy of Ms. Stephanie Lee and express great sympathy upon her passing.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Ms. Stephanie Lee and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.