**Remembering Langley: A Journey of Love, Loss, and Resilience**
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Laura-Lekkos-and-friend-celebrating-bdays-2012-060426-f24b2aa2f3ae4b58b0651c33dc3588df.jpg)
Laura Lekkos elegantly encapsulates the essence of her late friend Langley, stating, “Langley was many things to many different people.” For Laura, Langley was an integral figure in her life: a manager, a matchmaker, a confidante, and ultimately, her best friend. Their bond was colourful and rich, shared through laughter, tears, and unending support.
Langley’s battle with cancer began dramatically during a routine mammogram. It was a fate that none could have anticipated. Doctors discovered stage zero cancer, which was still confined to the milk ducts but raised alarm bells due to Langley testing positive for the BRCA mutation. They advised a preventative mastectomy. Amid the initial shock, Langley’s poise shone through as she reassured Laura, saying that the doctors had caught it early and everything would be alright. With a hint of dark humour, Laura joked that Langley could title her memoir, “My Vanity Saved My Life.” Yet, the reality of her situation took a frightening turn.
Despite enduring an arduous six months of surgeries, Langley felt a glimmer of hope when informed that she had a one-in-a-million chance of cancer returning. However, just two years later, dread crept in once more; the cancer had returned, now in a terminal stage, spreading aggressively through her body to her brain, bones, and bowels.
In the wake of such devastating news, Laura and Langley met at their favourite haunt, Sunset Tower, where they shared glasses of Sancerre over lunch. The light-hearted banter they shared temporarily assuaged the waves of despair. Their laughter held tight against the encroaching darkness, but engulfed within, Laura struggled to maintain her composure.
Throughout Langley’s illness, the cancer consumed more than just her physical self. It took her hair, her vitality, and even her cognition—an agonising loss for someone who cherished her appearance and enjoyed capturing life in selfies. Laura witnessed the subtle degradation of Langley’s mental capacity as the disease perpetrated its insidious theft. Once, as they dined together, Langley was unable to calculate a simple tip. “I could never do math,” Laura jested to ease the tension, but Langley, frustrated, lamented that she “was good at this.”
The battle against cancer dragged on; Langley faced the disease with unparalleled tenacity. During this trying time, Laura found solace in journaling, capturing notes, updates, and reflections on their shared experiences. Despite her busy life as a writer, she felt compelled to document the journey—a trail of heartache, hope, and the delicate moments they shared.
The summer of 2023 brought an unexpected crisis as Langley experienced a severe stroke during a family holiday on Martha’s Vineyard. Laura, alongside Langley’s close friends, rushed from Los Angeles to Massachusetts, hoping against hope for a miracle. A glimmer of light appeared when Langley unexpectedly woke and wondered aloud about a shop, her confusion tinged with humour. They all felt momentarily uplifted; however, underlying this joy was a painful awareness of the dire circumstances.
Over the following two years, Langley continued to fight valiantly, though her cognitive abilities diminished steadily. Laura keenly felt the gradual departure of her friend as words became harder for Langley to grasp. Each visit became fraught with tension, as a semblance of familiarity slipped away. Yet, amidst the trials, there remained fleeting moments of clarity.
In her journal, Laura captured one such moment in Spring 2025, recalling a day when Langley was notably lucid and engaged, albeit with occasional lapses. They spoke about summer plans, and despite the overarching uncertainty, Laura held fast to hopes and prayers for her friend. Sadly, those prayers went unanswered.
Langley spent her last months criss-crossing between hospitals and home, her body frail but her spirit seemingly indomitable. Laura described holding Langley’s hand through it all, feeling the intensity of her friend’s suffering, encapsulated in moments of both quietude and chaos.
In a haunting yet poignant farewell, as Laura prepared to depart after a visit, Langley’s voice broke the silence. “I love you, Laur. I love you so much,” were her final, lucid words to Laura. The clarity of those moments was a bittersweet echo that would forever remain etched in Laura’s heart.
Though Langley is no longer physically present, Laura finds comfort in the enduring legacy of their friendship. Memories and connections bind them together, allowing Langley’s spirit to reverberate through Laura’s life in subtle yet profound ways—a smile in the sky, a joyful laugh.
Laura Lekkos’ forthcoming memoir, *All the Little Ways*, promises to illuminate this journey of profound love and loss, offering readers a window into the life and relationship with a remarkable woman who, despite her departure, continues to inspire those who were privileged to know her.