Friday, July 6, 2007

Sad News

My mother’s father, grandpa Haynes, died last week. It was pretty unexpected and he will be sorely missed. My grandparents live in Idaho, but they go to St. George for the winter. While they were there he had a couple of heart attacks at the beginning of this year. He had excellent care though and he was doing really well, so the doctors cleared him to go back to Idaho at the end of May. Then the Sunday before last he was having a pretty bad headache, but he said it had gotten better by the evening. On Monday night it was back so they decided to take him to the emergency room. They found out he had bleeding on his brain and they put him in the life flight helicopter and took him to Boise to operate. They gave him some pain medication and something to help him sleep through the flight. When they got to Boise the doctor found out there was stem cell damage and an operation wasn’t going to help. They put him on life support until his family could come to say goodbye. He passed on Tuesday afternoon.

The funeral was very nice. I was very impressed with the number of lives my grandpa touched. My grandpa was in the navy during WWII so there was a 21-gun solute and a military tribute for him at the gravesite. At the luncheon following the funeral there was a video with pictures of him throughout his life, and as I was watching it I was sure he was going to walk through the door. He and my grandma had recently celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary, so I know it will be very hard for her, but she was being so strong while we were there I know she will be all right. He was a wonderful man who had a deep respect for the gospel, an enormous love for his family, and a great example of hard work. I was blessed to know and love him, and to be loved by him in return. I am thankful to know he is with our Heavenly Father and watching over his family.

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