Saturday night about 11 p.m., Dayna Frazier joined her many beloved ferrets
who were waiting for her across the Rainbow Bridge.  She is probably a
stranger to some of you, but she was a frequent contributor to the FML in
the past.  I first "met" her as she posted what she came to call "The
Foggy Chronicles," the story of a severely abused ferret named Friend Of
God (FOG), or "Foggy."  At that time, Dayna was sheltering ferrets in
California.  Later she moved to Virginia where she has continued to care
for and shelter many ferrets, using her considerable medical knowledge and
her deep love for these special fur children.  More of you may remember
her posts about Bea, the ferret girl with the broken back and the beautiful
spirit.  One shelter owner was reminiscing this evening about the
incredible strength Dayna had spent the time to help Bea develop, so that
she could happily scramble up curtains and around the room as though she
were not paralyzed and atrophied from the rib cage down.  Many people might
have let that little one go, but not Dayna, or at least not without a
fight.
 
Dayna contracted pneumonia in mid-December and has been in a hospital or
rehab since then, except for a few days when she was able to return home
to see her ferrets.  God has always watched over Dayna and her babies, and
he continued to do so to the end.  One of her neighbors, not even a ferret
person, went over twice a day to feed and water the ferrets.  A woman, who
knew Dayna because her husband had fixed Dayna's computer and Dayna had
helped them with their two ferrets, visited Dayna every day, coordinated
everything that needed to be done, and saw to it that Dayna was moved to
the rehab where she worked when Dayna was ready.  Soon Dayna insisted on
going home to take care of her babies although no one was sure her
breathing would ever recover.  It meant so much to her to see the 23
ferrets who were waiting for her, and she was able to spend a few days with
them.  Unfortunately, the pneumonia had done too much damage to her lungs.
She had to return to the hospital and became unable to breathe on her own.
Last night she crossed over with family at her bedside.
 
Dayna was like no one else.  Out of a terrible life, she found her identity
in caring for ferrets.  Her Woozle Goo nourished many ferrets back to
health.  Her knowledge helped many ferret owners.  Her personal story gave
inspiration to the people who knew her well because she had overcome so
much and had her own unique strength.  Her grateful and respectfully
friendly relationship with God seemed as natural as a sunrise: "Good
morning, Sir.  Nice job!  This is a really splendid day you've made today."
Tonight Eric and I thanked God for making Dayna and bringing her into our
lives.
 
When Dayna had to return to the hospital, several ferret shelters in
Virginia coordinated taking in her ferrets.  Marlene Blackburn arrived to
pick them up, and Faith Hood drove to Marlene's shelter to take 14 of them
to her own shelter.  All of the ferrets are doing very well.  If anyone
would like to make a contribution in Dayna's memory, you could give a gift
to Marlene and Faith by sending it to:
 
   Marlene Blackburn
   Richmond Ferret Rescue League
   2940 Dundas Road
   Richmond, VA 23237
[Posted in FML issue 3347]