On Nov. 2, Michelle Brooking Rees, 40, of Winchester, Va., unexpectedly took a quick step from this life to the next. She leaves behind a husband, nine children and a loving army of extended family and friends. More importantly, Rees leaves behind a legacy that her loved ones sum up in a single word: Overcome.
Those who knew Rees and her family would agree the word defines her earthly life perfectly. Rees’ missions in life were to overcome adversity, break some of the most destructive cycles imaginable and to prevent others from suffering the way she had.