Widow Of Murdered Boston Doctor On Mission To Celebrate His Life
BOSTON (CBS) - Terri Halperin is a pint-sized powerhouse. Looking all of twenty years old she's a plastic surgeon, a mother, and a widow. On January 20th a man enraged over the death of his elderly mother went to Brigham and Women's hospital, fired two bullets, and killed Halperin's husband Michael Davidson.
Halperin, who was seven months pregnant at the time, now wants to honor her husband. She says, "A tragedy like this shows you that there is evil in the world, but there is also so much good."
Terri has received incredible support from her husband's friends and patients at Brigham and Women's as well as the group of suburban rockers called "Off Label" where Michael played the guitar.
Terri explains, "And they were almost like a second family to him. They loved him and they've really taken me on as their family."
Terri also says their kids adored him and teased him. Michael pointed out nature's beauty so often that his kids gave his observations a name: a "daddy beautiful."
She comments, "My girls would roll their eyes like oh, there he goes again. And so they would remark, there's another sunset. That's a daddy beautiful! And they still do that now. They still see something they know their father would love and appreciate, and they call it a daddy beautiful."
Mommy would say that she and Daddy found the love of their lives twice. Terri and Michael once divorced only to realize their love was no sprint. On Michael's 40th birthday he ran the Boston Marathon and in Wellesley Terri jumped in.
She remembers, "It was such a fabulous experience for him to run on his 40th birthday, and then to run with me. That race was really important to us. And we got remarried three weeks later."
Their family expanded. First Liv, Kate, then Graham, and at the time of Michael's death a little girl was on the way.
"When I first realized that Michael had died and I was going to have to have this baby by myself there were feelings of maybe we shouldn't have done this," Terri recalls.
Three months after the shooting Terri went to Brigham and Women's to have their baby. She named the baby Mikaela, giving the baby the same initials as her husband.
Terri says the baby, "Really has been what has carried us through the past eight months. Absolutely."
And next April, a few days after Mikaela's first birthday, Terri will take another big step forward, actually 26.2 miles of steps. Terri will run her first full Boston Marathon.
"I feel like it will be another way for me to honor him."
On September 26, Michael's band-mates are organizing a celebration of his life called "Rock Like Mike" at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston. Co-workers, friends, and family will share how Michael inspired them. The money raised will go to the Davidson family.
For more information visit Rocklikemike.com