We moved from the Keys in 1984 due to
the change that came about in fishing. The
state had set a cost on saltwater fishing by
having to get a license. I remember, in the past
dad saying the day that came, he would move.
We moved from south Florida to central Florida.
It was the first house I had ever lived in. We had
always lived in trailers. I had never given it any
thought until we moved into our new home.
Wow! The space was so big.
*
The years moved along pretty quickly with
contentment until February 1991. Dad had
exploratory surgery, which brought about
our greatest fears; pancreatic cancer. It was
so advanced the doctors just closed him back up
and gave him 3 -4 months to live. Because of
his strong heart and lungs due to all of the
skin diving he had done for years in the Keys,
he lived for thirteen months. During this time
mom was the prominent person in his life.
Day in and day out, she spent every moment
with dad. If she wasn't there, he was asking
for her. When I came home from work, I'd
take over caring for dad so mom could go to
work at the church (she was the bookkeeper)
sometimes working on into the evening hours
after others had left and gone home.
*
While in my care, dad would wander to his
work building looking for things he thought
he needed to do. He just knew something
wasn't right (although it was) with the
tractor mower's carburetor. There was
nothing I could do but let him take it apart
right down to the engine block. When mom
would get home, I went to work on the
carburetor reassembling the parts back to
its original whole again. It was like putting
a three dimensional puzzle together.
Soon my brother had to disconnect the table
saws, band saws, and drill presses by taking
out the microchips to prevent any catastrophes
from happening.
*
The weight of the load began to take toll on mom.
She had placed a pallet on the floor by the bed to
sleep due to dad's thrashing. The LORD began
His work in dad. Dad continually asked us to
pray for him. He continually asked us to forgive
him for things he did in his life. The LORD was
Spiritually getting our house in order.
Dad's pain became so unbearable, the doctors
had to do a nerve block to give him relief. The
process brought about paralysis from his
waist down. It was at this time the LORD's
presence was so close. Sitting in the living
room, (right next to the bedroom's door)
when family and visitors alike would be in
conversation we would get a peripheral
vision of someone passing toward the
bedroom where dad rested. When we
would turn our head in natural response,
there was no one there. The angels were
busily taking care of their tasks.
*
Mom now stayed by dad's side continually.
Then it happened. Dad asked for us. I
called my brother and Nellie and told them
dad's time had come. Dad's sight was now
gone. He called for me. I took his hand and
told him, "I'm here, dad." He asked for mom.
She touched his feet and said she was there.
He asked for my brother and Nellie. I told him
they were on their way. The water began to
pour out through his pores. He began to have
visions of the angels coming to get him, even to the
point of counting them! His eyes pinpointed
them as mom and I looked to the ceiling longing
to see what he saw! Then Heaven opened up to
him! The sparkle in his eyes was like diamonds
reflecting the Pure Light of Glory! He pushed
us away, no longer wanting the comfort of our
touch. His Joy became verbal, but the LORD
only allowed a gleeful outcry like a young
toddler seeing his mom first thing in the
morning coming in to release him from his crib.
It was at this point dad's eyes closed, his head
turned aside, and he went into a deep coma.
I clung onto mom feeling such a loss, but in
turn feeling a release of dad's pain as well as
wishing for the Joy he had begun to experience.
*
Dad died March 5, 1992. An empty void hit me
like a black hole in my heart. I attached myself
to mom as I had never done before. The loss
of dad was worse than any waterspout,
hurricane, or tornado in my life.
*
Dad was a 20 year Navy veteran. He was
given a military funeral and now; he is
in the presence of our Awesome, Holy, Almighty,
Creator, Savior God!
I love you, dad.
More to come...
