“So he rose and did according to the word of the Lord.”
6/28/20-13 years ago…almost at this very moment. Just like that, dad was here and then he was gone. Dad would have turned 91 this year.
How do I even begin to put to words the depth of my dad? Those that knew him, knew him well.
I’ll never forget this day…ever.
I very vividly recall his final moments on this earth. He had slipped into a coma a few days prior. I had been vigilantly at his bedside along with many others. We knew his time was drawing near.
My mother was busy attending to everyone that had come to be with dad. We had moved his hospital bed to the den which gave us more space to care for him, and more room for those gathering to be present. 
I knew that he was transitioning to leave his physical body. His hands has started to grow cold. From my nursing experience, it was clear his body was shutting down.
Uncle Shelly and Aunt June Volk were on their way, but would sadly did not make it in time. Arthur Beebe, Mary Baker Stranathan Beebe, Janie McDonald, John McDonald, the Caron’s, Uncle Paul and Aunt Adrienne Volk…So many precious and dear ones had gathered.
Diana Herrera was sitting at his bedside, prayer warrior…friend…heart of love for Dad, like so many others. I saw dad raised his hands to heaven, as if he were worshipping. I looked up at Dina and saw her eyes and she shook her head no at me.
I screamed for my mother to come as I jumped from where I had been sitting. Within moments he was gone. He had breathed his last…just like that, his struggling was over. He was at rest. He was home.
No more fighting for air to breathe. No more of the 17 different medications he had been on to keep his body functioning. No more suffering. Just gone.
We all gathered around him. I laid on the bed by him and wept like I had never wept before. My papa, my dad, my guardian who wept for me when I faced a health battle.
Dad and I had sat down 10 days prior to this as I knew it was time to have that conversation on his final wishes. Not a task I relished, but one I knew that had to be done.
His words to me were that the Lord would either raise him up and heal him, or take him home. Either way, he would be restored.
So 13 years later…Those words still run through my head. He is restored. Though I wish he were here every day, I would want the same thing for him.
I miss you Papa. I love you now, forever and always.
In loving memory…💕