Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers

Thursday will mark four weeks since my wife of 17 years, Sharon Woods Manning, died suddenly.

Dean Manning is sports editor of the News Journal.

While Sharon had a large number of friends and associates from her 26 years working for the state, I always thought of my own network as fairly small.

From the moment I put the word out on Facebook and contacted my News Journal family, I began receiving messages with condolences and prayers from so many in the community.

Government officials, first responders from local law enforcement and fire departments and others in the community reached out.

There were many of you that took time to come to the visitation or funeral for either myself, my in-laws Brenda and Jim Woods, or Sharon’s Uncle Jerry and Aunt Peggy.

We can never express how much that meant to us.

Upon returning to work and seeing people in person, I continued to receive condolences from so many.

In addition to the condolences, so many people offered prayers.

I ran into Whitley County Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Lawson at the courthouse recently. After talking with Mike for a little bit, he had prayer with me right in the hallway outside of the fiscal courtroom.

The fact that my mother-in-law, Brenda Woods, is still with us today after her battle with COVID-19 is proof positive that prayer works.

The prayers from so many of you have helped get me out of a really deep hole.

I miss my Sweet Thing, which was my pet name for Sharon. But I have been able to return to work and function in life because of those prayers.

Again, I can never truly express how much that has meant to me.

I’m just taking life one day at a time. I have good days and then days when I miss Sharon beyond belief and don’t want to do anything.

I have to offer a very special thank you to my News Journal family. That includes Trevor Sherman, who, while he isn’t in the building every day, he is just a phone call away from pitching in when we need his help.

Football season was winding down with Corbin and Williamsburg still in the playoffs, and basketball season was just a few weeks away. It was time to get hold of coaches for interviews and get the annual basketball special section put together.

Mark White got hold of Trevor and they got to work on the stories and getting the photos. Jennifer Perkins put the cover together. Mark then put the section together.

I don’t know where my life goes from here. I never dreamed that at 51 years old, I would be a widower. But here I am.

In addition to Sharon’s family, who have, from day one, made it known that I am part of the family and my News Journal family, there are many in the area who are there for me. That is a huge help as I negotiate this new world.

Thank you!