HARTS Angels, Grief at Home, RRT STUDIOS, Star Angel

IN Loving MEMORY OF
Helen
"Gigi"
Bussey
1947 - 2000

Gigi was a very special lady and great friend. Her heart was bigger than Texas!! She helped so many on the qt. but they know who they are. As a friend - her one best quality (outside of her humor) was her ability to keep confidences. Once a promise was given - that promise was never broken.

I first met Gigi in person, Feb. of 1997. We had talked, giggled & hugged online for about 6 months before that in the AOL WW room. I met her in Lakeland to see her car race team in action. Yes - She was one of the few woman owner of a race team. Her sponsor was Hooters and if you knew Gigi...that was truly a HOOT!! We had so much fun that weekend and I truly admired her dedication to the sport of her choice (which I shared, but not as an owner - just a fan). I was known as Frog Lady after that weekend as another friend joined us and placed a live frog on my bed as a wake-up call. Boy - I sure woke up all right!! Woke up to fact these 2 were practical jokers. LOLOL
Then, off to our first WW gathering in Orlando, FL. There we separated to different quarters but kept in touch at the events.

Our friendship bloomed. I would drive cross-country between FL & Ca and since gigi lived in TX - perfect halfway stops for me. She ran a perfect WW bed & breakfast. LOL She gave me "birthday" presents as it seems I always stopped by there around that time of the year. Always made me a chocolate cake. She sent little gifts my way, nothing valuable - just meaningful between her & I.

Just a few months ago...She was my confidant and had a lot to do with my connecting to a fellow widower from WW & GROWW. She was his "special angel" and then a listener & ego booster to each of us as we tentatively reached out to each other. She got such a thrill, when she knew her gut instinct worked!! Gene and I did connect, almost immediately. How fortunate we were to be able to stop & visit her for 4 days in March of 2000 and helped her around the house and bolster her ego & lifted her mood. We left her crying & laughing...and we shed a few tears ourselves.

We each have our special bond with Gigi, as well as many others. I hope you join me in honoring our "special Lady" with a big heart & even bigger smile. Wear a star often or be sure to look at the stars at night. She's there...the brightest one yet, that is if She's not directing the next car race. LOL

I love you, Gigi. You'll always have a special place in my heart.

PennyRVR

I was born the second of four girls and a boy in that order. The first nursery rhyme I remember is "Twinkle Twinkle Little star". The first song I remember is, When You Wish Upon a star. Of course being Italian, Perry Como was revered in our home, "Don't let the stars get in your eyes don't let the moon break your heart."

I loved the golden stars I was given in Catholic school they twinkled so and you knew you had done a good job. I wished on a shooting star many times. Little did I know in my life stars would lead me through some really rough times.

I was very happily married for 21 years to a wonderful man named Bill Bussey. He gave me roses instead of stars, never real ones, but roses nonetheless.

On June 25, 9:17p.m., My world of roses was ripped apart. Dale Erick Boston chose to drive drunk and he killed Bill. I remember that first nite arriving home from hospital. I went into my back yard and looked at the sky and saw a very bright star glowing so clear. I knew I could go on as long as I saw stars. I heard it said one time "god leaves his lights on at night to let us know he is home, the stars."

Just six months after Bill was murdered by the DWI driver, I went out to fulfill a dream that Bill and I had to form our own race team and go racing. When I wanted a name for my company, I thought of what my father said about his children, "God gave me five stars each shone in their own right". I submitted to have Fivestar Racing as my company name. It had not been copyrighted. When I signed on to AOL, I submitted the name Fivestar97, my company and my race car number. When I go racing I look for stars everywhere. Signs, billboards, pictures, and I have talked waiters and waitresses out of their name tags with stars on them. I have even talked complete strangers out of their earrings that were in the shape of stars.

Stars began to help me rebuild me in many different ways. One thing in grief we deal with is forgetfulness. I started going to gatherings to meet people, I had met on computer. In order to remember their names better I would give each one of them a star sticker for their name tag . Then stars started coming back to me in many forms and fashions. I have the fivestar generals stars. Star candles and star candle holders. Of course most of my clothes have stars on them.

God brought all kinds of real stars into my life. Stars to shine and stars be my guide at times. Somewhere in life there is always a new star for me to find and even more stars to share. Stars are for a job well done. Stars are for home. Stars are for hope. Stars are for Luck and most of all for Love.

Thank you god for the stars in my life. Bud Knight, my Dad, Bill Bussey, my lover and husband, for my little boy who's light shone for a brief time in life. And most of all Dee, my daughter and my two grandsons my new stars in my life. Stars are never ending in time or space there is always one more to find just like a new friends.

Gigi AKA Fivestar97

Native Americans will tell you the stars are the campfires of the ancestors. This is a wonderful example that when we look to the Heavens we can feel the spirit of those we have known that have passed to those campfires. Never alone but greeted in family, with love to share the warmth of home and hearth.