Chris Thomas and Alexandra Salmon sit on a bench in Madison, Wisconsin. Chris would like to install something similar nearby as a memorial bench. (Photo courtesy of Alexandra Salmon)
When someone is diagnosed with a terminal illness, how do we choose to preserve their memory?
Radio producer Alexandra Salmon and her mother-in-law, Chris Thomas, of Madison, Wisconsin, have always been close. When Chris was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer, Alexandra began recording some of her conversations. And on a perfect fall day, the two talked about Chris’ lifelong connection to Wisconsin and what she would like to leave behind.
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“I think you are experiencing some sounds in your head. It’s the sound of little children laughing and having fun. If there was a forest like this nearby, I would have done the same. ”
That’s my mother-in-law, Chris Thomas. We are in the woods near her house in Madison. She is thinking of putting her memorial bench there. This little wild piece reminds her of another park she loved as a child.
Chris Thomas as a child at Westmoreland Park in Madison, Wisconsin. (Courtesy of Alexandra Salmon)
“It wasn’t close to home, but it was in Westmoreland Park,” Chris said. “Once you got to a certain age and were able to go there freely, it was really fun. We played in a forest like this. It was a little deeper and darker than this. But kids just daydream. , I love having a place like this to go to. You can hear the kids giggling and playing here, which is really nice.”
Chris Thomas and his brothers on the back of the sled. They are near the garage, preparing to head downhill along what is now Westmoreland Boulevard. It’s coming to an end at Westmoreland Park in Madison, Wisconsin. (Courtesy of Alexandra Salmon)
Chris was a very down-to-earth person who always put others first. The way she approaches this bench is no different.
Alexandra Salmon and mother-in-law Chris Thomas of Madison, Wis.; Alexandra considers Chris her “second mom”. (Photo provided by Pamela Salmon)
“Can you tell me a little bit about this bench idea?” I asked her.
“It’s certainly a copycat idea that’s all over the place. I mean, a lot of people have benches,” she said. “I never wanted to mark my position or be impressive enough to sit on the bench. Other than that I like the fact that there are people who might not otherwise walk this path, but if they knew there was a bench sometimes, they might walk more. I think it’s a good goal to get out there. This is my small contribution to getting people walking, especially those who wouldn’t otherwise do it.
We continued along the path, leaves crunching under our feet. Chris stopped and looked around.
Chris Thomas walks along a park path in Madison, Wisconsin. She is thinking of installing her own memorial bench at this location. (Photo courtesy of Alexandra Salmon)
“If I stand diagonally, I can see that big tree. And that’s the only really big tree there,” Chris said. “Look, if you find another place, that’s fine. But I like this place. It feels good. Yes, I’ll think along this path. Other trails will be used, but that Just sitting along the trail. And it’s so beautiful and so special.
Chris Thomas holds a bouquet of flowers from his niece’s florist, Olson’s Flowers, in Mount Horeb. (Photo courtesy of Alexandra Salmon)
“And really I love these hidden benches, it’s like a surprise. You find it and you think, ‘Who could this person be?'” I said. .
As we walked, Chris said something that stuck with me.
“One winter, as I was walking through the arboretum, I found a chrysalis or something hanging on a thread. I watched it all winter. But one day it disappeared. It is.”
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Music: “Hills of Wisconsin” by Meeker & Maiden
