We're going on year nine of Andrew's passing (June 19, 2005) and this week always brings back memories of his final days. There are two things I'll always remember from that day. It was a Sunday and the feeling the room had where he was staying after his soul left his body. These are things I will never forget.
There was a lot of uncertainty and uneasiness leading up to June 19. Yes, the doctor's told us in February of that year that he was no longer curable and to enjoy his final days with family and friends. He did just that by going to events and connecting with friends. His hair grew back, he was driving (although limited) his car. Heck, if he didn't tell you he had osteosarcoma, you would think he was only dealing with a sports injury as he was still using crutches. However, no one could predict when things would take a turn. In the back of all of our minds, we didn't want things to turn. We were fighting it as much as Andrew was.
Although we didn't want things to happen, we knew it was going to happen. It was Cinderella fighting the clock turning midnight. Although he fought things and we fought things, there was something really interesting that happened the morning of June 19, 2005. One of the people Andrew spent some time with before he died was Fr. Bill Kiel, the then pastor at St. John the Evangelist Church. Andrew asked Fr. Bill, "What is heaven like?" Fr. Bill told Andrew, "It is the most amazing Easter Sunday morning." I'm convinced what happened in the room where Andrew was staying on Sunday, June 19, 2005 was his Easter Sunday morning. My faith tells me Andrew went to heaven. In the end, he won.
-Jason
There was a lot of uncertainty and uneasiness leading up to June 19. Yes, the doctor's told us in February of that year that he was no longer curable and to enjoy his final days with family and friends. He did just that by going to events and connecting with friends. His hair grew back, he was driving (although limited) his car. Heck, if he didn't tell you he had osteosarcoma, you would think he was only dealing with a sports injury as he was still using crutches. However, no one could predict when things would take a turn. In the back of all of our minds, we didn't want things to turn. We were fighting it as much as Andrew was.
Although we didn't want things to happen, we knew it was going to happen. It was Cinderella fighting the clock turning midnight. Although he fought things and we fought things, there was something really interesting that happened the morning of June 19, 2005. One of the people Andrew spent some time with before he died was Fr. Bill Kiel, the then pastor at St. John the Evangelist Church. Andrew asked Fr. Bill, "What is heaven like?" Fr. Bill told Andrew, "It is the most amazing Easter Sunday morning." I'm convinced what happened in the room where Andrew was staying on Sunday, June 19, 2005 was his Easter Sunday morning. My faith tells me Andrew went to heaven. In the end, he won.
-Jason