The first year at UCLA, Cherese was very shy and kept to herself. She had planned her classes according to her goals. She was a geography major. She used much of the knowledge gained by her dedication and perseverance in school. The Spanish she learned from a textbook was applied at Hood Corporation, our family business, it would also benefit her while traveling abroad. She loved to listen to Spanish music and enjoyed foreign films. Her major would also prepare her to understand the company business more completely. Cherese was very interested in social and political issues and often expressed a deep concern for those who were less fortunate. She focused her studies and efforts on how she could help, especially children.

During this time at school, Cherese learned about the "Semester at Sea" program, which is sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh. They take 600 students twice a year around the world for 100 days on a cruise ship. It is full time school and credit, when they are out to sea, and field studies when in port. She planned to go the following spring, then return to UCLA for her senior year and graduate in June 1997. She wanted the opportunity to enrich her knowledge and gain a better understanding of the cultures, peoples and environments they would be visiting and she wanted the challenge of learning more about herself, how she would be affected by the conditions in which people in third world countries must live. Unfortunately, we will never know all the feelings Cherese was experiencing during the Semester at Sea trip.

September 17, 1995. It was Cherese's 21st birthday. We wanted to take Cherese to Las Vegas, but it was too difficult for Todd and Cherese to arrange the time, so we didn't go. Cherese decided she just wanted to go bowling and have fun. Larry and I took her to Java Lanes and we all had a great time. Later that evening, we took Cherese out to dinner at one of her favorite restaurants. Thinking back to the fun we had that night,the laughter and smile on Cherese's face when she ordered a glass of wine for the very first time, it is hard to believe it was the last time we would ever celebrate her birthday. She would never be older then 21.

Though Cherese dated in high school and jr. college, she did not have anyone special in her life at this time, until she met Brian. They were in the same Spanish class at UCLA and soon became friends. Then Brian asked Cherese for a date, his unexpected kiss changed everything. Brian would now have a special place in her heart. Forever. He made her laugh. He made her happy. And she did the same for him. Brian has written a beautiful article about Cherese, printed in the UCLA Daily Bruin. (Read Brian Birkenstein's article)

One of the reasons Cherese liked UCLA was the diversity, which was also a factor in deciding on Semester at Sea. In her life, Cherese had a number of diverse friends, she did not judge people by the color of their skin or their beliefs, but for who they were. Cherese wrote an essay which was required by Semester at Sea and was accepted in the program and started receiving informational literature. We read everything together. We asked every question possible about Cherese's safety. We were assured that she would be safe. She began the long series of shots to protect her from diseases. Night after night she would read through the materials to select the trips for her itinerary. On February 1st Cherese would fly to Nassau, Bahamas, where the ship, SS Universe Explorer would depart and travel to: La Guaira, Venezuela; Salvador, Brazil; Cape Town, South Africa; Mombasa, Kenya; Madras, India; Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Manila, Philippines; Hong Kong; Kobe, Japan and back to the United States, to Seattle, Washington. Everyone was to return to Washington on May 13th. But not Cherese.

January 21, 1996, Cherese moved out of her apartment and back home. We had lived in this home for 24 years and in December 1995 we bought another home just 1 mile away. We moved just 16 days after Cherese left for Semester At Sea. I often think if we had not moved, Cherese would still be coming home, alive.

We spent the next ten days together shopping for her trip. She needed a backpack, camera, clothing and even netting to cover her face from mosquitoes, as she was highly allergic to them and was terrified she would get lots of bites. During those last ten days, Cherese said her good-byes to friends, co-workers and family. She went ice skating with Brian and we celebrated Todd's 23rd birthday at Red Lobster. We had fun that night, I remember Cherese dipping the little fried shrimps in the ranch dressing, she loved ranch dressing and dipped just about anything in it!

The next day we took out the home movies and Cherese and I spent hours remembering those treasured moments caught on tape. She smiled when she saw me holding Todd and my tummy was quite large, I was pregnant with her. Shortly after, I was holding Cherese in my arms, coming home from the hospital. And before we knew it, she was graduating from high school.

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