Pulling together

Lolita Harper

You could hear the music from four blocks away. The party was

rockin’. The atmosphere was fun-loving. The occasion was

heart-wrenching.

Sunday evening marked the “Endless Summer” bash for Susan

Arakelian’s 48th birthday, which she will probably never see because

of cancer. Her actual birthday is not until Sept. 6, but hundreds of

her close friends and family members gathered at a private beach on

Lido Isle to celebrate her life before her rapidly deteriorating body

surrendered to the disease.

“We are all just people from different walks of life, pulling

together from all over to celebrate her life because this is the last

time many of us are going to see her again,” close friend Julie

Mamales said.

Arakelian, a Laguna Hills resident, sat in the middle of her

party, her slight frame perched on a padded lounge chair, while her

guests milled about. Family members came from her native New Jersey

and employees from Federal Express -- where Arakelian worked for 21

years -- joined the fun as did friends from her personal life.

She was frail, with tubes in her nose and a pink bandana on her

head. Friends sat at her side and helped her unwrap dozens of gifts,

while others ordered drinks, played games and mingled.

About 5:30 p.m., everyone’s attention turned toward the sky.

A small plane flew overhead with a special message: “Happy

Birthday Susan, We love you,” it read. The guest of honor lifted her

head and smiled, throwing a loving nod at her friends but stayed

quiet. The plane circled the beachside bash a handful of times and,

on the final lap, the party burst out with a happy birthday song.

Kathy Miller, who hosted the party in her beachside community,

took the microphone and paid special tribute to her dear friend.

“We will always love you, Susan,” she said.

Guest after guest grabbed the microphone and paid homage to their

dear friend. A few minutes later, it was announced that Arakelian had

to go inside to rest but the party should continue. The music kept

pumping, and an original rendition of “Proud Mary” filled the air --

a song that described Arakelian, friends said.

“She is very prideful and is really hanging on,” Mamales said.

Adults and children alike played softball, soccer and football at

specially designated booths. Others ate platefuls of delicious food,

including chopped salad, pasta, humus, vegetables, chicken and steak

kebobs and hot dogs.

It was a celebration and the party guests were going to rejoice in

knowing Arakelian -- not mourn her looming death. They were also

there to raise $30,000 for in-home care for the final days of her

life, party organizer Angie Miller said.

Miller, a prominent graphic designer in Laguna Beach, printed

“Endless Summer: Susan’s Birthday Bash” T-shirts and sold them for

$20. The Miller team also gathered dozens of prizes for a raffle and

silent auction. All proceeds will be used for in-home medical care,

so Arakelian can be comfortable in her final days. Sunday night’s

event raised $15,000, Miller said.

Dozens of friends have been working around the clock in eight-hour

shifts to care for Arakelian, Mamales said. As the cancer spreads,

she needs more treatment and more advanced medical expertise. The

kind of expertise that is very expensive.

“It is kind of weird because she is only a year older than me,”

said Mamales, who has volunteered for many of the shifts. “To watch

someone my own age go through this is scary. It is just so sad and so

unexpected, I mean, what do you say? What is incredible is all these

people pulling together.”