October 8, 2006

One Year Ago Today

One year ago today I saw Dad alive for the last time.

We got the word that he'd suffered a massive heart attack and drove as fast we could from Nashville to Bella Vista, Arkansas.

Amazingly, once the whole family was there in the hospital, he woke up.

He tried to speak, but his mouth was full of tubes. He started to cry when he saw his grandchildren. He was getting upset and we had to let him get some rest. He waved goodbye like he knew it really was goodbye.

He was dead before dawn.

It's been a long hard year for me - for everyone in the family - but most especially for Mom. I am grateful that she has come out the other side of a most horrible grief.

A year is a respectful amount of time to mourn. I am hopeful that this anniversary will mark a new beginning for the family.

It seems glib typing these words, but what worth is having this blog without immortalizing such occasions.

This one's for you, Dad.

-rgc

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