Alyson Marie Sayuk - Rodriguez
November 28, 1978 – December 3, 2011
On an incredibly beautiful, bright, and cloudless day at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center, with a panoramic view of the City she loved on Alyson’s spirit rode the Sun high into the comfort and pain free pastures of Heaven early the afternoon of December 3rd, 2011. Far from alone, she was surrounded and supported by her family, her in-laws and many of her dearest friends, some having traveled great distances without the certainty of arriving before her final ride into the heavens.
Born on the North Shore of Long Island, New York, she was born 2 weeks after her due date, perhaps the only time she was late for an appointment in her life. Alyson came to California as an infant, her parents eventually settling in Vallejo, CA. There she attended St. Vincent Ferrer Elementary School, graduating with High Honors from St. Patrick – St. Vincent High School and offered numerous scholarships. Deciding to stay close to home she attended St. Mary’s College of California in Moraga, where she graduated with High Honors in the year 2000 with a degree in English and a job already assured after graduation in the insurance industry. She moved to San Francisco in 2004, the city she would call her home, for the remainder of her time with us.
In her career in the insurance industry, her continued dedication to personal, professional growth and abilities were sought after to a point where in moving through the employ of five different companies, never once did she ever have to apply for employment. At her passing, she was very happy being employed by the firm Barney and Barney in Oakland where her work ethic was recognized and appreciated.
Alyson grew up a happy, industrious and studious child. She was a voracious reader, loved the arts and could often be found at one of the many art galleries and museums in San Francisco in her adult life. She also participated in Theatre Arts at St. Pat’s, but her first love was horseback riding.
Introduced to horses at an early age by her mother, Alyson acquired knowledge and skills that earned her scores of ribbons of achievement and accolades. Riding “English Style”, she participated in competitions throughout California placing high or delivering many blue ribbon performances demonstrating skill and horsemanship in stadium jumping, cross country and dressage. She eventually purchased and trained a young, large, stubborn thoroughbred and made her beloved horse, Tachyon, into an obedient and competent competitor.
Unfortunately, Tachyon succumbed to injury to a point where he could no longer be ridden. She offered Tachyon to a facility in Central California where for a few years Tachyon was a plasma donor horse, allowing other horse lovers the opportunity to save their beloved animals, until he eventually passed away.
No longer with her own horse Alyson joined her mother as a volunteer at the Xenophon Therapeutic Riding Center in Orinda, a nationally recognized center of excellence where dedicated volunteers and staff assist disabled children with an array of different medical afflictions the opportunity to ride a horse under very close supervision. Alyson assisted the other trainers during the evening classes and would exercise the horses on the weekends when her schedule no longer allowed her the time to participate in the classes.
Alyson also loved to travel and explore the world that lay before her. Her most recent trip was to Poland in 2010 to meet, for the first time, her mother’s blood relatives. Once there, we were all immediately and excitedly accepted as long lost relatives coming home. Alyson’s Babcia (Polish for Grandma) helped make the trip to visit long lost relatives possible. Along with her Babcia the trip included Alyson’s mother, father and her brother. She had also visited Costa Rica and spent a glorious three weeks traveling throughout northern Italy with the love of her life, her husband, Carlos Rodriguez, whom she met in the summer of 2007, a Renaissance man also appreciative of the arts, great literature and with a keen interest in politics and making a better world.
Alyson and Carlos were married in a civil ceremony with immediate family and very close friends in attendance on February 22, 2011 under the majestic dome of City Hall of San Francisco. It was just before that time Alyson was diagnosed with a very aggressive and invasive form of cancer that metastasized rapidly. Alyson and Carlos continued planning their original October 1st wedding, and on a beautiful fall evening a radiant bride and handsome groom exchanged vows in the eyes of God with the ceremony performed by a dear friend of the couple who was also an ordained minister. Afterward a reception was held at the Orinda Country Club where there was a lot of laughter, merriment, celebrating and dancing.
However, the challenges to her health were already becoming apparent to the couple and Alyson, always a wellspring of inner strength and discipline, kept quiet about the rapid advancement of her condition. She chose not to worry other family members and friends as to the extreme gravity of her health even while seeking the most advanced treatments. She reported to work and did what she could and was accommodated by her employer with the tools necessary to work from home. She refused to be a victim. Alyson steadfastly believed that victim-hood was a choice and never a viable option.
But around Thanksgiving the situation became dire and by the morning of December 2nd, Carlos had her admitted to the Emergency Room of UCSF slipping into a dream-like state to keep her comfortable. Her doctors, the staff at UCSF in the ER and the staff at the Palliative Care Center on the 14th floor were unbelievably committed to keeping Alyson comfortable and accommodating an ever increasing group of immediate family and friends.
While her guests witnessed an incredible San Francisco sunrise, Alyson was unable to do so, but the love and support that surrounded her was immense. Everyone in their own way summoned their beliefs so that Alyson would go in peace and leave her pain and torment.
At approximately 12:50PM, Saturday, December 3rd, Alyson’s soul climbed into the heavens, perhaps upon the back of beloved horse Tachyon, who returned for her as she soared into the heavens. She left the earthly constraints without pain, fear and without regrets.
Mourning her loss are her loving, devoted husband Carlos Rodriguez of San Francisco, her loving father John A. and devoted loving mother and best friend Wanda M. Sayuk of Vallejo, brother Gregory and his wife Tiffany Sayuk of Chaska, MN, her grandmothers Bernice Gadseck (Babcia), Jane Sayuk (Grammy) both of Vallejo, her loving in-laws Margarito and Lipa Rodriguez of Long Beach, CA, her cat, Emma and many, many loving family, friends and co-workers.
Preceding her in death were her grandfathers John Gadseck (Dziadzo), John Sayuk (Grandpa) and her horse Tachyon.
Services will not be held but a celebration of Alyson’s life will be planned sometime after the holidays, a date, time and place to be determined.
The family respectfully asks that no items such as flowers or plants be sent to the family. What Alyson would have appreciated most to which Carlos and Alyson’s parents agree would be to make a donation to:
Xenophon Therapeutic Riding Center
P.O. Box 16
Orinda, CA 94563
The Alyson Sayuk – Rodriguez Memorial Scholarship Fund
Any funds donated in Alyson’s name will go directly toward giving needy or underprivileged families with developmentally challenged children the opportunity to participate in this extraordinary, nationally recognized program.
Please visit www.xenophontrc.org/?p=2786 to see a picture of Alyson, a short biography of her time with Xenophon and more information about how Xenophon improves the lives of the families and the children served by this amazing organization.
The Sayuk and Rodriguez families are appreciative beyond words and thank you for your prayers, best wishes, assistance given or offered and encouragement during this very difficult time. Any donations made to Xenophon in Alyson’s name will be deeply appreciated and the greatest way to honor her memory. She will be missed as she helped make the world a better place.
