Nicole Salunga Douglas

For the next two and half years, she lived with her parents and brother in Angeles City where she lived a very active life at home and with her immediate and extended family. Her two adopted sisters, Corazon and Abigail Douglas, made sure to keep her out of harm's way.

In 1988, after our father, Michael Douglas, retired from 20 years in the Air Force, the family moved to Minnesota. That did not last long as they made their way west and eventually moved to Arizona. Initially, while Noemi Douglas worked for her uncle, Dr. Benjamin Licup, the family tried to figure out what was the next step. Eventually, our parents settled at 1035 W. Dragoon Ave. in Mesa, Arizona. We would live here through the 90’s and most of the early 2000’s.

Nicole was a talented musician who sang regularly and played several flute and piano. She also enjoyed living a very active lifestyle through these years. Through elementary, she took part in ballet and Tae Kwon Do classes, played softball summer leagues and took part in the Tempe and Mesa Public libraries reading programs. On December 14, 1996 after attending the Net ’96 meetings by Mark Finley, Nicole, her brother, and several other students were baptized at the Tempe Seventh-day Adventist Church.

The Tae Kwon Do classes inspired her later interest in gymnastics. And, softball was a sport she always enjoyed. While at Thunderbird Academy she became a part of the varsity softball team and won state championship.

Her musical interests motivated her to join not only the Thunderbird Adventist Academy choir, but also the more selective chorale. She continued to play flute at Thunderbird Academy and piano lessons and recitals through Milano’s Music in Mesa. While a sophomore at Thunderbird Academy, she went on her first mission trip to Mexico and helped build a church and school.

After her sophomore year, she attended Dobson High School in Mesa where she had high grades and tested very well. From there she went to Skyline High School in Apache Junction where she also tested very well. At times she also assisted her mom as a caregiver to make extra income. She also worked at Merrill Garden Assisted Living facility in Mesa, where she performed very well and demonstrated her ability to be a hard worker. Although she was involved in sports and led an active lifestyle, she found her way out of school.

In 2005, she gave birth to her first son, Jadon Todd Douglas. In 2007, she gave birth to her only daughter, Lillian Shiloh Douglas. However, by the 2010’s she took a plea agreement which led her to prison. While in prison she completed her GED and did very well. She also took Amazing Facts Correspondence Bible Studies which re-inspired her interest in reading, spiritual things, and the Bible. She was visited every week by her mother. And, after a time, was even allowed to see her two children.

While in prison, Nicole was also diagnosed with cervical cancer. Because she was an inmate, the cancer surgery was completely covered and she made a complete recovery. She was released early from prison for good behavior and being a model inmate. Although she struggled to readjust to society, she pushed forward by enrolling in a rehabilitation facility.

In late 2013 she gave birth to her second son, Abel Malcolm Douglas. For a time, she was on limited time with her son, but after living with the Sta. Ana family, going through a rehabilitation program, the continued support of her family, friends, and the church; she achieved moments of success. She would finally be reunited with her children and gain custody of Abel.

For the next several years she made use of her artistic talents by fixing things and reselling them. She often made home improvements to her mother’s care home facility and tried to make it more “homey.”

In January, while her brother, Malcolm, was visiting, he suspected that she was pregnant again. But, she believed that her cancer came back. For the last two months, she suffered considerable pain. In March she was taken to Banner Gateway, where it was determined that she was indeed pregnant, but had high blood pressure and was diagnosed with preeclampsia. At that point, she was told that either she or the baby would die. Her fear led her to avoid the hospital altogether and against the advice of her doctor and family, she discharged herself.

On Sunday, April 10, after going to the bathroom she felt she had to go to the hospital. Shiloh accompanied her in an Uber at 6:30 in the morning. Her last request to her mom was to get a hold of Jadon. She wanted to talk with him.

When she arrived, she was coughing and in considerable pain. Because of her preeclampsia, the doctors determined that they had to do an emergency C-section in order to save the baby’s life, whose heart rate had dropped. She went under general anesthesia by the directive of Drs. Fitzue and Lela Lewis. Benjamin Douglas was born at 10:01 AM. However, Nicole coded. For over an hour and half the doctors sought to save her life. Everyone was called, they continued full chest compressions with medication and full-on CPR. Both Drs. Fitzue and Lewis prayed out load; but a few minutes after 11:30 on April 10, 2022, it was announced that Nicole did not make it.

She was preceded in death by her half-brother, Michael Francis (DOB 12/03/1972) born at Landstul Army Medical Center, Germany who died January 22, 214. She is survived by her mother, Noemi Salunga Douglas; her father, Michael John Douglas; her half-brother, Martin Nicolis (DOB 09/09/1976) who was born in Mankato, MN; her brother, Malcolm Salunga Douglas; and her four children: Jadon, Lillian Shiloh, Abel Malcolm, and Benjamin.