Emily's obituary is in today's Register Guard (and we've posted it below). If you have any memories you'd like to share, please post them in comments here or on the Facebook post:
Emily Rose Monfort died November 10, 2019 in Seattle at University of Washington Medical Center. Her parents, Peg and Keith, were at her side holding her hands as she passed. She filled her 36 years with family, friendship, education, adventure, and a joyful love of life. Emily received a second double lung transplant on November 9th and never regained consciousness. She suffered massive organ failure and Peg and Keith made the decision to discontinue the heroic efforts to maintain her life. This is as she would have wished. The underlying cause of death was Cystic Fibrosis, which she had battled bravely and ferociously her entire life. Emily had received a first lung transplant in February 2009 and following seven very good years experienced three years of chronic rejection of those transplanted lungs.
Emily was born in Eugene, Oregon in 1983. She went to Edison Elementary, Roosevelt Middle School, and IHS at South Eugene High School, graduating in 2002. She received a Ford Family Scholarship to attend the University of Oregon.
Even though she faced daunting health issues from birth, she refused to be defined or limited by that. Always active, she did gymnastics and ice-skating, and loved the All-Comers track meets at Hayward Field and the sport of the season with KidSports. She took great joy in the freedom of running and jumping. Emily played soccer through her sophomore year, having the thrill of scoring a hat trick on her 16th birthday while playing for the South JV team. Emily was a snowboarder, skier, and rock climber, and at ten years old climbed the South Sister. She was at home in the outdoors and enjoyed camping in both the mountains and by the rivers.
While at UO she was very active with the Outdoor Program and had a work study position there. After her first year in college she worked as a river guide, drawing on her personal experience on the McKenzie, Deschutes and Rogue Rivers. She was an accomplished river runner, spending many weeks on wilderness rivers, and was proud to have rowed clients the length of the Rogue's Wild And Scenic section as a 19-year-old. She floated the Rogue River more than a dozen times and the Middle Fork of the Salmon and Colorado Rivers twice each. She relished the six weeks she spent with dear friends in the depths of the Grand Canyon on the Colorado River.
While at UO she was very active with the Outdoor Program and had a work study position there. After her first year in college she worked as a river guide, drawing on her personal experience on the McKenzie, Deschutes and Rogue Rivers. She was an accomplished river runner, spending many weeks on wilderness rivers, and was proud to have rowed clients the length of the Rogue's Wild And Scenic section as a 19-year-old. She floated the Rogue River more than a dozen times and the Middle Fork of the Salmon and Colorado Rivers twice each. She relished the six weeks she spent with dear friends in the depths of the Grand Canyon on the Colorado River.
Emily loved to travel. She visited Belize, St. Thomas, and Europe. Following her first lung transplant, Emily traveled solo in Europe for six weeks, visiting many friends and countries, after which she returned to UO and received her BA in Humanities and Art History.
She was always happy at the Oregon Country Fair—she loved her fair family, her camp, the music and the food. Her creative spirit blossomed there and she delighted in creating costumes.
No mention of Emily is complete without talking about her beloved golden retrievers Buster and Gus. They were her steadfast companions, always there with unconditional love, comfort, and support.
We would like to express our thanks to the many people that were part of the medical community who helped Emily throughout her lifetime. Their care and devotion helped her to live. The last three years were very difficult and we are profoundly grateful for faithful and devoted friends that visited her. She so appreciated them.
As her parents, we humbly thank Emily Rose for being so brave and strong through the years of her pain and illness. No matter how difficult the struggle, she was always gracious and grateful for her care. It was the greatest honor to be her parents and take care of her. We will miss her forever.
Emily was deeply grateful to the organ donors and their families that helped her to extend her life. She would ask that you please consider becoming an organ donor, and if you do, share her story online with the hashtag #livelikeemily. Donations in her memory can be made to Cystic Fibrosis Foundation or Donate Life.
There will be a Celebration of Emily Rose Monfort's Life in 2020.
