Remembering Meghan Flannery 1990-2017
Meghan Flannery (middle row 4th from the left) would be 30-years-old today. She was a special person, one worth remembering and imitating. I wrote this about her shortly after she passed in 2017.
A friend of mine texted me yesterday. The last time she saw Meghan was about a year ago. It wasn’t planned. She ran into her, randomly, as Meghan crossed the finish line of the Boston Marathon. It wasn’t shocking, Meghan always accomplished things quietly.
Meghan Flannery, age 26, died on March 29th. Those of you who don’t know her will say, “That’s too young.” Those of us who knew her say – “You don’t know the half of it.”
I knew Meghan as a member of a team I affectionately refer to as “The Wild Ones.” On and off the field, drama and antics were daily occurrences. But not with Meghan. Meghan steadied and calmed. Her performances were unwavering her demeanor unflappable. She quietly became a stalwart whom, under different circumstances, might be considered a star. She never cared. Her team’s, club and high school, succeeded, therefore she succeeded – personifying the embodiment of teammate.
Diligence pays off. Meghan attended the University of Wisconsin, Madison where she played college soccer. The quiet persistence she displayed as a teenager blossomed in college. She was a four time Varsity Letter Winner, three and a half year starter, All Big Ten Performer her junior season and in typical “Flann” fashion named the team’s “Unsung Hero” her senior year. It’s an award befitting her life.
Meghan was an English major. She loved to read and she loved kids. Teaching was the obvious career. Meghan joined “Teach for America,” a program designed to work with under resourced communities. She found her calling. Her passion for teaching and creating opportunities for kids were evident in every life choice. Most recently, she was “The Director of Elementary Programs” for the North Campus Partnership in St. Louis, MO where she trained tutors and developed programs to enhance student learning. Meghan was in the business of bettering lives.
Whether on the field, in life, or work Meghan didn’t ask for fanfare, accolades and her commitment to others was never the practice of a self-styled heroine. With uncommon grace and humility, she woke up every day and did the right thing. And we all know, that’s an uncommonly difficult thing to do.
Meghan Flannery, The Unsung Hero, left this world but she’ll never leave us – there’s too much to emulate.
