Andrey Woronick Desmond

Andrey Woronick Desmond

In Honor of Andrey: "A Gentle Heart Against Relentless Adversity"

Andrey grew up in South Windsor, Connecticut and is the cherished son of Lynsey Woronick Desmond. He was born in the town of Fryazino, Moscow Region, Russia on May 8, 1993. Having hopes of, he took a leap of faith, choosing to adopt his Forever Family, August 1999. An intelligent child, he learned to speak English within six months, over the year learned to write simple sentences, and he took piano lessons. Going to school was exciting for Andrey, meeting teachers and making new friends. PE, Lunch, and RECESS were amazing, followed by Library, Music, Art, getting schoolwork done much harder.

Andrey's heart was at its happiest hanging around with his sister. She patiently taught him to ride a bike and made wild waves, rocking his raft in the pool. Climbing trees was a favorite activity. He enjoyed making pancakes with his mom, assisting in her garden, eating along the way, and being read to. Fishing with his dad was a fun adventure together. His sense of humor was precious, his laughter, contagious. He was proud of being an American Citizen, his family in attendance. Soccer was his favorite sport, with a wonderful team of boys and their coaches. His good friend Evan was a wonderful friend to him. Andrey went to South Windsor High School and moving then attended

Newington High School. An avid reader, especially of science fiction, he enjoyed watching Superhero movies with his mother, listening quietly to relaxing music, and was a talented artist.

Andrey leaves behind his sister, Carolyn, and brother-in-law Peter, his cousins Christine Trzcinski, and Matthew, Pat Trzcinski and Jill, several nieces, many aunts and uncles, cousins, and friends. He is also survived by his father, David C. Desmond, and his wife, Sally Carlson.

Andrey was a young man of unbelievable fortitude. He was a steadfast survivor from his earliest history who held his gentle spirit throughout a journey that most could not endure. He was a man that had a chronic neurological brain condition, schizoaffective bipolar disorder, accompanied by anosognosia. Guided by resolute integrity, Andrey's mother was a steady anchor, refusing to let archaic stigma of mental health or silence diminish his worth. In a world that too often chose darkness, she remained his loving light. Someday a cure may be found, but until then, our support and compassion needs to help those with mental illness, to look beyond the symptoms of, and develop intentional and caring housing appropriate with medical-psychological healthcare supervised and guided every bit as much as we support those who suffer from cancer, heart disease or any other illness.

We choose to remember Andrey's sense of humor, his courage, and endearing heart. A Memorial Service, to honor Andrey's life, and sensory need for peace, will be held at Center Congregational Church, 11 Center St., Manchester, CT, on Wednesday, April 1

at 5:30pm.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Andrey's memory to the following organizations that support healing, help, and justice:

• Wellspring Foundation, Inc: P.O. Box 370, Bethlehem, CT 06751

• Disability Rights Connecticut (DRCT): 846 Wethersfield Ave, Hartford, CT 06114 or online

at disrightsct.org

• Community Renewal Team (CRT): Supporting behavioral health and community recovery

in Central Connecticut.

• To plant trees in Andrey's memory, please visit the Sympathy Store

Mental Health Is Health

To learn more about mental health conditions and find support for families, please contact NAMI Connecticut (National Alliance on Mental Illness) at namict.org or call their information line at 860-882-0236."

With Thanks to: Pastor Joyce O. Crutchfield, Danielle, Center Congregational Church, Tierney Funeral Home, Christine, Tracy, Candace, Barb, Mrs. Sevick, Mrs. E. Lee, Mr. Czapla, Maureen Pearson, Karen Oros-Sullivan, Tom Tierney, Dr. Murray, Wellspring Foundation, and a special thanks to Jan Ransom.