OBITUARY: The last words of Grafton’s Cheryl Daigneault, who valiantly fought ALS

Grafton resident Cheryl A. Daigneault passed away on August 13 after a long battle with ALS. She wrote the following obituary for herself.

I was born on Thursday September 5, 1974 in Worcester and have lived my whole life in Grafton. On Thursday August 13, 2020 I lost the battle that I have been fighting for over 10 years. I fought my battle hard and strong with integrity and strength and with a smile every day. I never let my battle get me down and I would fight it every day with a great big smile and say what can I do today? I may have lost the battle but the war against ALS continues until a cure is discovered.

I was never alone fighting my battle. I always had a cheering section of friends and family who were always there to support me and help me as I needed it. I could not have fought this battle without these people, my parents Paul and Karen Daigneault of Grafton. They made sure that my emotional and physical needs were always met as well as any vacation I wanted to take and my brother Jeffrey of Webster and his daughter, my best friend, my buttercup, my niece Jordan, of Grafton, was the best medicine a doctor could have prescribed me. It is true what they say about laughter being the best medicine. Her laugh, her smile and her giggles always made me smile. If I was ever having a terrible or hard day all I’d have to do is call Jordan and hear her voice and my mood would automatically be changed and I would smile and she was always by my side no matter what or where I was. She was the best nurse and best friend I could have ever asked for. She always amazed me. My boyfriend Donnie Heckman of Shrewsbury who for years never left my side and always kept me laughing and fighting along with his two children, Nicolas Heckman of Holden, Ashley Heckman of Leominster. I had four special friends who never let my side, Justina Hicks of Dudley, Donna Marks Renaud of Northborough, and Larry and Sandra LaChance of Grafton. I never had children of my own but I did have 3 furry babies; Jay, Muffy and Frankie who I loved so very much. There are many aunts and uncles and cousins who were on the battlefield with me. I cannot thank these people enough for everything that they have done for me. I am NOT taking my new journey alone. I am now in the loving arms of my paternal grandparents Paul and Doris Daigneault and my maternal grandparents George and Dorothy Miglionico and my uncle Kirk Macintosh as well as my close friend Sean. So I am in good hands.

I had the opportunity to do a lot of things in a short period of time. I remember someone once saying it is not the quantity but the quality of anything and I have to agree. I know my battle ended too soon but I got to do so much that a lot of people don’t get to do in a full lifetime. I graduated from Grafton High School and then continued my education receiving a degree from Becker College and Masters from Curry College in Law Enforcement and was going to finish my Doctorate in Forensic Science at Mass School of Psychology. I had a lot of great jobs, such as working for Mendon, Northbridge, Franklin Police Departments, AMR Ambulance, Hillside Vet Clinic of Auburn, Worcester County District Attorney’s Office, and lastly where my nightmare began, due to their negligent response, Grafton Job Corps.

I loved to travel and traveled many places across the US with my family and close friends. I was able to travel to Europe with my cousin, Scot, in 2007 and every summer since 2005 I spent my time at my friend Maddy’s house in Point Judith, Naragansett which I always called my “Happy Place.” I always enjoyed waking up every morning having my coffee on the deck overlooking the ocean. I loved the ocean and always seemed to find peace whenever I was there. Whether for a week or just a day it always made my day. Sundays in the fall were best because my Dad, Donnie and I would sit and watch the Pats. I enjoyed watching all the New England sports teams. 

To say I loved animals would be an understatement. I never met an animal that I did not like or that did not like me. I had a bad habit of taking home all the strays I found to make sure they would find happy homes. I guess you could say at times I lived in a zoo. 

When I wasn’t working or rescuing animals I enjoyed cuddling up with a great book usually by James Patterson of course. Whether in New York, Boston or Worcester I loved going to the theatre. There’s nothing like a live show. 

The thing I loved to do most was spend time with my niece Jordan. It didn’t matter what we did whether we were sitting or cuddling watching TV or outside watching her practice gymnastics it was the happiest time of my life. I so loved watching her do gymnastics. One of the things Jordan and I loved to do most together was to tell and make up funny stories, like the Candy Castle, where the Aunty went bump bump bumpity bump, down the stairs, while we laid in bed trying to fall asleep. My time with my family was always important to me. I cannot thank my friends enough for making the time to come visit me knowing I could not visit them anymore. It is funny, it took this disease to make me really realize to cherish the little things in life and to really accept the things I could not change and realize what is most important.

With utmost respect, the Roney Funeral Home helped me plan for this day. My family and close friends, and I knew this day would be coming and how hard it would be. Therefore out of respect for my family and close friends I request all services to be private. To help with the war against ALS please donate to the ALS Association of Massachusetts at www.Webma.alsa.org or due to the love I had for animals you may wish to donate to the MSPCA at www.MSPCA.org instead of sending flowers. Just remember those of who passed are always just a memory away.