Wednesday, December 14, 2016
My Mom, brother Eric and I can't thank you enough for all the lovely messages, calls, texts and emails we've received for Dad. The outpouring of love and support has been tremendous.
My awesome Dad touched so many hearts. It's been difficult calling and telling everyone of his passing, hearing the hurt and upset others feel when they learn he's gone. Even people that didn't know him that well... the tellers at his bank, doctor's receptionist, cashiers where he shopped daily - they all got a little teary and said what a lovely man he was and that he was always smiling and joking. It gives us comfort knowing how many people loved him.
My Dad lived a life of service to others. Helping his parents from a very young age with their fruit market in London during the war, 10 years at sea with the British Merchant Navy as the cook and 35 years with the EMS (paramedics). In retirement, amongst all of his own doctor's appointments and poor health he still made time to drive our great aunts and uncles to all of their appointments. Everything he did was for everyone else, always.
It's time for us to let him go... he lived with chronic pain and constant discomfort. Within our notification calls we had to call all 8 of his doctors... EIGHT! His week's were full of specialist appointments. His body was failing, yet, he held on to know everything was as it should be... I was home, Mom would be taken care of, Eric is doing great. That's when he let go... of all his failing organs his heart was the strongest. I truly believe he said 'it's time' and his heart went... heart attack and gone. To know he went quickly eases the pain of him going.
We will miss him tremendously but ultimately comforted that there will be no more pain, no more doctor's appointments.
What a truly beautiful, kind, gentle soul he was... we are all so lucky to have known him and loved him but I feel the luckiest that I could call him Dad
