Today, the Wynonna Earp community learned that we lost one of the best of us today.
Jeannie, who most of us knew as Bionic_Geek, lost her battle with cancer today, a battle that a lot of us had no idea she was fighting.
I’d love to be able to pepper this blog with pictures of Jeannie and me together, but I don’t have any. We chatted on Twitter occasionally, we’d talk if we were at a con, but we never grabbed any photos together. I guess I always figured there’d be a next time, another opportunity.
One of the last times we saw each other, Jeannie asked about my writing. I wasn’t in a great place, honestly. I was recapping, but I’d received some “colorful” comments on what I wrote and saw some pretty nasty things people had said about me. I wasn’t sure if I’d continue with recaps or write much of anything anymore, really. And she looked me in the eye and said she couldn’t really speak for anyone else, but anything I wrote, it would always have a fan in her. She made sure I knew that she loved reading what I had to say, and no matter what it was, she would read it.
Every single thing I’ve written from that day on, I’ve thought of Jeannie. Every. Single. Thing. Because if nothing else, those words I put on the page would bring at least one person joy, and that was enough for me.
All of that from a single act of kindness.
I’ve read a lot of the responses people have had to her dying, and it’s clear she really made an impact on a lot of us. I hope she knew — that her kindness touched so many people, that so many people will forever think of her fondly, and that those few words she said to me all those years ago changed my life for the better. If she didn’t know then, and if there’s something after all of…this, I hope she knows now.
I’m going to make a donation in Jeannie (Smith’s) name, and here’s the info for two organizations she supported if you’d like to do the same:
Justice Education Society Vancouver
Holmberg Hospice House Abbotsford
Cons won’t be the same without you, Jeannie. Selfishly speaking, thank you for giving me the confidence to see past the haters to the supporters. You will never, ever be forgotten.
I hope you liked this one, too.
E4L.
lesbiyinzer 
I. Am. Bawling.
This is so moving and genuine, thank you, Monica. Do you mind if I share this with Jeannie’s Mom?
Of course not. I tagged her in it on Twitter with the hopes she’d see it, but I would appreciate that, thank you. 🧡
Your tribute brought tears to my eyes. I’m fairly new here in Earper-land and I didn’t know Jeannie but through your words she touched my heart. One act of kindness. She sounds like the best of us. Thank you for sharing her with us.
I feel sure that I met Jeannie at some time. I’m really bad at names and faces and the fact that Earpers are fond of Earp themed avatars doesn’t help me. I know I interacted with her on Twitter. For someone who grew up with the Bionic Woman that bionic Twitter handle was magnetic.
What I did not know is that I had Jeannie to thank for getting to read your reviews for years past those first ones. For that I am deeply grateful to her.
I never met Jeannie but I saw her in several Con photos on FaceBook and Twitter. She was definitely a true Earper. Condolences to her family and friends. Her smiling face will be missed.