Terry was born in 1958 in Youngstown, Ohio and spent her childhood years growing up on Carlotta Drive. She grew up with her older sister, Jody.  She is an Aunt to Jody's daughter, Molly. From 1972 to 1976 Terry attended Villa Maria High School, an all woman, private, Catholic academy. During this time she formed special memories that continue to bring smiles to her day. Good friends and a great education with the nuns. 

 

After high school  she attended Duquesne University to become a pharmacist.  Two years later she met her then husband of 24 years, Gary Gervelis, They started their family immediately with two wonderful children Stacy and Gabriel.  Shortly after starting a family they moved out to Seattle, Washington.

 

In Seattle, Terry was a community leader. She ran the  local Girl Scouts chapter, helped out with Boy Scouts, shuttled Gabe to soccer and Stacy to volleyball.  Two sports wasn't enough for her kids so she took both to karate practice and competitions!  During these years they also raised three dogs (Leonbergers) and  started a kennel at home. She was dedicated to her children and ensuring they led an active and well-rounded life.  Terry loved scuba and found joy by being a dive master, a dive volunteer at the Seattle Acquarium in the shark exhibit, and a novice underwater photographer. She also loved taking a hang-gliding ride off Tiger Mountain!

 

Sadly, bad things happen to good people and in 1992 she got Hodgkin's Disease, a cancer of the lymph system.  It was a tough battle but she kicked Cancer's butt.  The chemotherapy/radiation threatments that saved her life wrecked havock on her body and would later play a large role in the deterioration of her lung function.

 

A few years after her successful battle with cancer she re-entered the work force. She took certification classes at UW and developed a career as a records manager in the Aerospace and Pharmaceutical  industries.  She became lifetime friends with coworkers. She was motivated helping patients improve their lives by supporting clinical trials of new drugs. 

 

With her involved career she still spent time supporting both her children. Her daugher went on to graduate West Point Military Acadamy, serve 7 years in the Army (including a tour in Iraq), marry her husband Ryan, and is now working as a medical device sales rep. 

Gabe ended up working for various marketing agencies. In 2009 he started his own company and is currently the co-founder of a tech startup operating on the University of Washington's campus. When he isn't working he spends his days looking for his wife (Note: All Single girls reading this: Find his profile on Match.com! just search for SEO_PRO). 

 

In Terry's case, lightning struck twice in one lifetime.  Her lungs begun a fairly rapid deterioration from her past cancer therapies and smoking.  Her COPD left her unable to walk long distances or carry records boxes so she had to medically retire from her career.  From then she moved in with her son while she started going through medical treatments to pinpoint what was wrong and how to fix it.  As her condition deteriorated, she had to move in with her daughter and son-In-law since she could no longer climb stairs.

 

Finally, after almost a year of medical diagnostic tests, drugs to help her breathe, and 24-hr oxygen, she was listed for a double lung transplant at the University of Washington. After almost two years of waiting she received her double lung transplant on September 17, 2016.  While the surgery was completed in roughly five hours, she spent over a year fighting to recover from multiple complications.  She experienced set-back after set-back.  During that year time period, she was never able to leave the hospital.  

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Despite all her set-backs, Terry kept her sass and treated everyone to a smile and kindness.  She had an inspiring will to live.  

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