(originally posted in French on December 6th, before the ceremony; translated to English in February… and still very relevant)

Many people asked us how we are handling all this, and, of course, how the family is impacted. This short post, hard to do in public, and perhaps a bit premature, will perhaps help you understand what we – the children and myself – feel. Maybe it’ll also help, on Saturday, our thoughts to turn fully to Carole.

We have been, in these difficult times, incredible lucky. Things went the best that we ever could have hoped for. Carole did not suffer. Even if it went so quickly – too quickly of course – Carole, as always !! did everything incredibly well. She had prepared us. We knew what was going on; and she continued to be a positive force up to the last hours. And, above all, above all, we got such incredible support, from so many people… I won’t mention names here, but all those who have been with us for a week know what I mean. Thank you, thank you, thank you, to you all. And thank you, also, to all of you who have expressed their support.

We have always taught our children not to complain. We have always recognized, and continue to recognize, the incredible good fortune of having been born, and lived, in the most beautiful, the most heartening places in the world; and of having met beautiful, interesting, interiorly rich, honest persons. These people are there for us today, and that’s the most important. Helping others is truly the only thing that helps us on earth. Our families are also a source of support, we rejoice in that. And when problems occur … well, then the American expression “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade” kicks in. Or, as a friend had said to Carole, when we first settled in San Francisco and she said at one point (a rare occurrence) that she didn’t yet feel at ease: “If you don’t like it here, why don’t you go somewhere else?”. He said it quite kindly, just to help her, help us, and he was right. There is always something positive to be found. And I truly believe that Carole’s qualities are helping us too.

We are certainly very sad. And I don’t think we should avoid expressing our sadness. I cannot ensure you that I will still have this same positive attitude in a few weeks, months or years, who knows; and I, and we, will certainly be needing your support then too.

P.S.: For Carole’s parents, though, things are much more complicated…