Wayne sat down and wrote it out himself the day after
Reagan passed away. To me, it sounds more like a love
letter written for Daddy's little girl...
DRIGGERS Reagan Laine Driggers, born July 7, 2004 to Wayne N. Driggers, Jr. and Michelle Elaine
Driggers, weighing 5lbs 5oz and measuring 18 inches long, passed away July 11, 2004. Reagan Laine
gave us four wonderful days to cherish and love her. She fought to stay alive during pregnancy in
order for her little twin sister, Riley Kay Driggers, to grow and thrive. The time we were given with our
beautiful daughter will be treasured for eternity. Reagan's will to live gave her twin sister the time
needed to survive. We will be forever grateful to our daughter. She spent four wonderful days on this
earth and is waiting in heaven for us to spend eternity with her. Thank you, Reagan, for taking care of
your little twin sister and for allowing us the time to cherish you. In addition to her parents, Wayne and
Michelle and twin sister, Riley Kay, Reagan is survived by her grandparents, Wayne N. and Kathryn H.
Driggers and Mike and Jennifer Shepherd; great-grandparents, Tuck S. Driggers, Kay T. Driggers,
and Julianne M. Hamwey; Uncle Robbie and Aunt Stacy Hill and their daughter, Alex and Uncle John
and Aunt Andrea Shepherd and their son, John Andrew. We will remember Reagan as our precious
gift and for being the greatest big sister ever. Funeral services will be held 2:00 PM Thursday, July
15th, in the Chapel of HARDAGE-GIDDENS FUNERAL HOME, 729 S. Edgewood Avenue with burial to
follow in Riverside Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 1:30 PM until 2:00 PM Thursday
at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Macedonia Baptist Church, 8081
Lenox Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32221. Please sign the Guestbook at Jacksonville.com
Published in the Florida Times-Union from 7/14/2004 - 7/15/2004.
Times-Union by Mark Woods. After reading Reagan's
obituary, he called Wayne and asked if he could tell
Reagan's story for us. I am eternally grateful for his
beautifully written words. I hope Riley will treasure it
some day, too. Our little girl truly was a hero!
Originally created Friday, July 23, 2004
Twin gave her life so her sister could live
Chief Justice Earl Warren once said that he always turned to the sports pages first, because they
record people's accomplishments, not their failures. I suppose the same could be said of obituaries.
On any given day, the page on the flip side of this column is full of accomplishments. Positions
achieved. Awards won. Families raised. It's hard to stand out. But Reagan Laine Driggers did.
Although it was the picture that grabbed people's attention -- a tiny baby, eyes closed, nestled
against her mother's face -- it was the words, written by her father, that grabbed their hearts.
Reagan Laine gave us four wonderful days to cherish and love her. She fought to stay alive during
pregnancy in order for her little twin sister, Riley Kay Driggers, to grow and thrive. She saved her
sister.
And, in turn, her sister saved their parents, made it possible for them to be sitting on the couch in
their Westside home, explaining the story behind the obituary, struggling to get through talking about
the daughter that was born July 7 at 10:52 a.m., inevitably glancing at the one that was born at 10:53.
"She keeps me going," Michelle Driggers said, cradling Riley in her lap. "She's my saving grace."
Wayne, 26, and Michelle, 28, were married four years ago. Both went to Ed White High School.
Wayne ended up at the University of Kentucky on a football scholarship. Michelle went to Florida
State and became a pediatric nurse -- a profession that became a curse 26 weeks into her pregnancy.
She knew too much. That day in the doctor's office, even before her physician Gerardo DelValle
came in and held her hand, she knew something was wrong.
It turned out that Reagan had a rare congenital malformation of blood vessels in the brain called "vein
of Galen," which often leads to heart failure. If that happened to Reagan before birth, there were two
options: The first was to deliver immediately, which didn't guarantee Reagan's survival, and added
risk for Riley. The second: Let Reagan die. "I wanted to do everything possible for Riley," Michelle
said. "But I couldn't just pretend Reagan wasn't there."
They bought two outfits, two baby swings, two cribs. And as they talked to experts in Gainesville, who
had done groundbreaking research, they kept hearing the same thing: "You have to make it to 34
weeks." At 31 weeks, Reagan's heart started to fail. But she held on. Through 32 weeks. ...33 ... 34.
"She gave and she gave," Michelle said, both crying and smiling as she rocked Riley. "She did it."
The twins were born in Shands Gainesville. They slept in cribs next to each other. They flew back to
Wolfson Children's Hospital together. But, on July 11, Reagan died peacefully in the arms of her
parents.
They removed the tubes, bathed her and put her in her "going home outfit" -- a description which,
Michelle says, took on new meaning.
Before the funeral, Wayne sat down to write something no parent should ever have to write. It was a
thank-you note as much as it was an obituary. To Reagan, from her family.
For all that she accomplished.
For all that her sister will accomplish.
mark.woods@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4212
were contacted by our local Channel 4 news program
director asking for us to appear on the news to tell Reagan's
story. The following pictures were taken by my mom during
our interview by Reporter Joyce Morgan. "Reagan's Story"
was beautiful and moving. The video is priceless to me...
