November 4, 2023
― Dodie Smith
Bob’s death was a long time coming — years. And they were painful years that took a tremendous toll on his family. You see, he died of Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Otherwise known as Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS, it is a rapidly progressing neurological disease.
There were months of tests as they traveled to hospitals and visited specialists in different states. A cloud of anxiety hung over the family for so long, and when they finally got a diagnosis, they tried not to despair. Even until the end, Bob always tried to stay upbeat, holding out the possibility they might develop a cure or that the disease would progress slowly.
He was blessed to have a wonderful wife and five children who stood by him and helped with his care. They took shifts during the week, and the strength they pulled from one another kept them from falling apart. They hoped and prayed for a miracle.
His condition worsened, and his family began grieving long before he died, but a love that deep, even in profound pain, works little miracles. Months after he passed, all of them understood they had been given special strength, and they looked at each other in a different light. They understood they shared a love that is uncommon in this world.
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Look for support among your family members and friends on your grief journey. And be sure to give support to someone in need.
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