Reader Ann Franz Nominates Magi Bish

I'd like to suggest someone VERY special for your profiles of 'Women We Love.' Her name is Magi Bish. One cannot be around Magi for long without absorbing a feeling of peace and acceptance of life's challenges from her. She has lost a great deal, yet she has managed to dedicate her life to actions focused on sparing other parents the pain she and her husband have experienced in losing their child to an unknown, murderous predator.

Magi is the mother of Molly Bish, a teenager who was kidnapped from her country pond lifeguard job about four years ago. For three years, her body remained undiscovered in nearby woods. In the interim, and since that discovery, Magi and her husband, John Bish, have spent all of their free time creating and overseeing a child identification program aimed at increasing parental awareness of a child’s safety needs. It has been hugely successful throughout Massachusetts. The couple has also become known somewhat on a national basis for their efforts to salvage a lasting meaning from their child's life. I believe they have even appeared on Larry King.

I met Magi at my daughter’s college, where she administrates a program that includes child safety events including the fingerprinting program the Bishes initiated with police. I also met John; they are much alike. There is an underlying sadness, perhaps because we all know of their loss, but there is a more so an overwhelming, palpable feeling of caring for others that comes from them. They are kind, loving, dedicated people.

Last month, John suffered a serious stroke and Magi has been at his bedside at Spaulding Hospital in Boston since. Their program is still being conducted, but has been forced to cut back new operations for the interim.

Many people love Magi—from the police officers who help conduct the program, to the parents who meet them when they bring their children in. From an unimaginable loss they have created a lasting memorial to Molly's stolen life. I hope that you will consider her down the road.

And again, thank you for your interest in women and your willingness to involve so many of us in that endeavor.

Ann Frantz