Four decades later ...

This is a picture of Vergene and his high school football coach, Reed Peterson, at Uncle Jay's funeral. Coach Peterson was genuinely glad to see Verg. Vergene was the offensive center and defensive tackle for the mighty Mesa High football team. It never seems to surprise me how people are affected by the gentle, noble soul of my eternal companion. I am so grateful to be his wife and love him more every day.

Oh yah, 2009 is an eye~opener ...

On February 24th, my sweetheart had a heart attack while DRIVING and crossing the Continental Divide coming back from Silver City, NM. He blacked out and so blessed to have the inspiration to have his helper, David Carpenter, with him. It scared David and after getting Vergene in the passenger side of the setting truck (a feat in it's self) hauled it to Safford. Verg and David kept track of the mile post markers in case they needed an ambulance to meet them. After making it to our house and me not home yet, Verg called me and asked me where I was and I said I was on my home. He couldn't finish the sentence and handed the cell phone to David who told me Verg needed to go to the ER. I told him to take him and I would meet them there (now he had been to the dr. the day before so imagine my shock when this happened!). I beat them and started the paper work as Verg came in, he was teary-eyed and very red and they took him right in (as a cardiac case). After blood work and every tube known to man on him, they said he had a heart attack and was flying him to Tucson (road trip they called it). He informed them he WAS keeping his boots and to coin the western phrase, "I'll die with my boots on" which the helicopter nurse informed Verg, "No one dies on my watch"!! Well Tifani, Flo and David and I were shocked and watching him being put in the helicopter sent chills down my spine~this was a man who had flatten quarterbacks and running backs, built furniture, embalmed movie stars, chased his girls and Rex around a cattle tank playing alligator, gone to ball games and summer theater productions, worried when his children weren't home when they should be, watched one son be Pluto while the other was an all~state wide receiver, held each grandchild with such tenderness gave blessings to anyone in need~ I just couldn't believe it.

When he lifted off, I called my brother who went to be at TMC with him and Tif, Di (my sweet sister) and I hauled it to Tucson. Heather, Trevor, Shawna and C.J. came to Tucson as did Ben the next day and Rex was on standby in case he needed to come from Californa. The next three days were filled with anxiety, tests, angioplasty, xrays, CAT scans, suicidal roommate and wonderful nurses, techs and doctors. So in the end it was a WAKE UP CALL for this wonderful man and his family.

Thank you all for your prayers, phone calls, visits and love and support! A HUGE thank you to the most awesome family two people could ever be blessed with! I love you all!!!!!!!!