{"id":1827,"date":"2024-08-29T18:17:00","date_gmt":"2024-08-29T18:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/?p=1827"},"modified":"2025-04-17T18:21:49","modified_gmt":"2025-04-17T18:21:49","slug":"a-tribute-to-the-life-and-legacy-of-coachleahs-very-first-coach-annamichele-bedford-spears","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/2024\/08\/29\/a-tribute-to-the-life-and-legacy-of-coachleahs-very-first-coach-annamichele-bedford-spears\/","title":{"rendered":"A Tribute to the Life and Legacy of CoachLeah\u2019s very first Coach Annamichele Bedford Spears"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With the rapid decline of health in the last month of life for my mother, Annamichele [Ann Collins] Bedford Spears, my husband, children, and I tried to decide the best way to celebrate her upcoming milestone, 80th<\/sup> birthday on August 5th<\/sup>, 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My brother, her favorite child and only son, called to let me know his plans to visit mom from Minneapolis for her birthday. \u201cMy Flight arrives on Saturday, August 2nd<\/sup>, and I\u2019ll be there through Tuesday August 6th<\/sup>, Corey shared. \u201cSo what are we doing for mom\u2019s birthday?\u201d<\/em> he asked. I answered by telling him that we had not made any major plans and were taking each day as they came.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My mother had been sleeping most of the days and awake at night for several weeks. She had most recently stopped feeding herself. Her diligent and loving caregivers and nurses were keeping a very close eye on her and monitoring her vitals closely as well. \u201cWe plan to order her favorite cake, Red Velvet, and I have been talking about your coming here for her birthday, loudly, so she could know that you\u2019ll be here soon to help celebrate even while she would doze off,\u201d<\/em> I explained to Corey. \u201cWe have to see how she\u2019s feeling that day,\u201d<\/em> I added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As July came to a close, my mother’s health continued to decline, yet each morning I greeted her the same way I always had, with a lighthearted, \u201cGood morning, Queen Mother!\u201d<\/em> My voice was jovial and high-pitched, a playful aristocratic tone she had come to expect. But on the morning of July 30th, when I entered her room and called out to her, there was no response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I moved closer and gently tried to reposition her in bed, expecting the usual murmurs of pain. She would often say, \u201cOww\u2026 oww\u2026 oww,\u201d<\/em> as even the slightest movement caused her discomfort. But this time, there was only silence. In that stillness, I realized she had peacefully transitioned. My heart ached as I stood there, processing the quiet finality of her passing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a heavy heart, I called my brother, Corey, who was still in Minneapolis. Although he wanted to, he wasn\u2019t able to arrive in time to be by her side. My brother landed in Houston as scheduled on that following Saturday. We both knew she had chosen her time, leaving this world on her own terms, free from pain and surrounded by love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though grief enveloped us, we knew we had to honor her memory in the way she would have wanted\u2014by celebrating her life  on what would have been her 80th birthday, August 5th. Instead of a traditional celebration, we spent the day \u2013 apart \u2013 reflecting. Then we headed over to church for Corey to record a video tribute in her honor. This tribute would be played during the first of two Celebration of Life services the August 9th.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first service took place at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, attended by our beloved church family, family members that resided nearby, and close family friends. Though Corey couldn\u2019t stay in town for this service, his love and gratitude were deeply felt in the video tribute he created. The second service was held the following Saturday, August 17th<\/sup>, at her home church, St. Peter\u2019s AME in Minneapolis, Minnesota. There, surrounded by family, lifelong friends, and the community that had seen her grow and thrive, we sang, praised God, shared stories and memories, brunched, and celebrating the beautiful legacy she left behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I sat down to write this tribute, the memories of my mother flooded my mind\u2014her wisdom, her kindness, and the way she always knew how to make others feel seen and loved. She was more than just \u201cMommy\u201d<\/em> to me; she was my first coach, my greatest supporter, and the woman who taught me the meaning of resilience and grace. With her spirit guiding me, I wrote the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCheers to 80 Years!\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Happy Heavenly Birthday to the best mom ever,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eighty trips around the sun, a journey we’ll  treasure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You planned your own celebration, free from pain,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Absent from your body, with the Lord you reign!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As your first born, I cherish all you gave,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your spirit and love, so strong and brave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My<\/em> friends even trusted you, they knew they could call,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your caring ear, a friend to all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chaperoning with Mama, getting the party started,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ‘cool mom’ stern when needed,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

but always kind-hearted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Music and dancing, you loved it so,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At our high school house parties, you’d steal the show.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First responders, friends like family near,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aunts, uncles, and cousins, always here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember the Fourth of July BBQs, and hot tub parties galore,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Police would stop by, but not to restore …<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Order-they\u2019d come over, just to say, “Hey!”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grabbing a plate and check out the shenanigans on full display!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your Besties – my Aunties, showed me what true,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lifelong friendships looked like, both old and new.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I will always love and miss you Mommy dear,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But your spirit and presence will always be near.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCheers to 80 years!\u201d<\/em> we say on this day,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In memoriam, we\u2019ll celebrate in our own grand way!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe best parts<\/em> of me are<\/em> from you, Mommy!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your eldest and tallest daughter!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peace<\/em> & Love with faith … !<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eph. 6:23<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

CoachLeahTM<\/sup><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With the rapid decline of health in the last month of life for my mother, Annamichele [Ann Collins] Bedford Spears, my husband, children, and I tried to decide the best way to celebrate her upcoming milestone, 80th birthday on August 5th, 2024. My brother, her favorite child and only son, called to let me know his […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[975,38,976],"class_list":["post-1827","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sports","tag-coach-annamichele-bedford-spears","tag-minneapolis","tag-wheeler-avenue-baptist-church","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1827","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1827"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1827\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1828,"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1827\/revisions\/1828"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1827"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1827"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1827"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}