That is really not cool, I wished that -the harassment- hadn’t happened to her, but then again I wish a lot of things (I am not on the forums, I just joined to write on this memorial thread but that is very disappointing if not surprising). I had sensed it had played a role in her not being so visible -I felt I crossed paths with her less these past few years, but I realize now other factors were probably also at play. She was such a character though, (I too remember the picture with the pink double pompom hat as another user here mentioned). This is heartbreaking.
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I wish her family receives the support that they most certainly need after this tragedy.
I had interacted with her on the forums years ago. I think I had heard awhile back about the harassment that encouraged her to step back from the forums. It’s pretty rotten that she had to deal with it.
Cancer is a right b*. I had my own bout with it when I was 28 and as a result, I have met many young adults with cancer. Not all of whom are still around. It’s heartbreaking.
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It’s such a strange feeling to feel deeply touched and saddened by the loss of someone I never knew; it feels like a missed/lost chance. Tragic to lose someone so young. My heart goes out to everyone who knew and cared for her.
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Sad news!
Like many others, I came across Marina (in my case, regarding Opiliones in Russia) and she was always very willing to answer questions about her observations (and her photos, which were often very good).
I also liked her contributions to the forum, her frankness and her clear and well-argued positions.
Rest in peace, Marina.
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Oh, I’m so, so sorry to hear this. I never had any direct interaction with her, but she was inspiring. I wanted to comment just to add to the record one more instance of her impact.
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I just came across this post from Marina. Once someone is gone, you might only recognize these subtle hints in hindsight. Most of us didn’t realize that she had been fighting cancer for most of her young life, yet she kept sharing her knowledge with passion and courage.
Update: Marina’s post above was from 2022 Aug 28. On 2022 Sep 10 (about 2 weeks later), she posted:
So it was COVID, although she may have been immunosuppressed from her other health issues. It’s a quiet reminder that we never know what someone is dealing with.
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I am sorry to read this only now. So sad…
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I’ve been following this thread since the start, and I am still at a loss for words.
We didn’t interact much, but I always noted the kindness and humor in her online ‘voice’. That she accomplished this, and so much more, despite the obstacle that life had thrown at her, brings to mind what I hope is an apt quote:
“I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo. “So do I,” said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
We are all the richer for how Marina decided to spend the time that she had. And time will never completely fill the hole in the world that she left.
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I had known Marina by reputation on iNaturalist for a long time. Even without knowing her personally, I was constantly amazed by her incredible activity and wealth of knowledge. When I found out how old she was, I was no less surprised.
A couple of years later, I was fortunate enough to meet her in person and even travel around the Leningrad region together. In winter, we watched birds, and in summer, we observed everything around us.
She was a very kind, wise, and cheerful person. On semi-scientific topics, she would speak with enthusiasm and great seriousness, but a little joke was all it took, and she would become genuinely merry – laughing loudly and wholeheartedly. Indeed, her outward appearance did not quite match her inner world.
She tried not to talk about her illness, never complained, and steadfastly endured that entire painful period. To say that we will miss such a person is an understatement.
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Although i knew this was comming (In my last contact she told me that metastasen were spreading in her body) I feel sad. I also admired here fluently english. As far as i know she had to fight the disease several times.In those days she had instagram and it was nice seeing her outdoors, sometimes with very few hair. Thought her name was minimouse overthere. I like the nice macro photos and as visito of Belarus , Armenia and Georgia i was wondering what others saw in those areas.
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