Here's an interesting story about his death, one that may help someone out there.
While I was in Seattle, Washington, my 91-year-old dad, who was living in his home in New York, had a massive brain hemmorage. My brother, who was visiting my dad at the time, rushed him to the hospital in an ambulance. He called the sibs with the sad news.
After a brain scan and family/doctor conservations, it was decided that my dad was brain dead, and that it was time to pull the plug. His brain was a total mess. He had a DNR.
Well, before they pulled the plug, I really wanted to say good-bye to my dad. I called my brother, who was in the hospital room at the time, and asked him to hold his cell phone next to my dad's ear. My brother had to dash out of the room to take care of some business, so he handed the phone to my dad's nurse/caregiver.
I said a final good-bye to my dad.
About a month later, I called the nurse/caregiver to inquire about something that my sister told me shortly after my dad's passing: "A tear rolled down dad's cheek when he heard your emotional goodbye."
Originally, I thought my sister had told me the "tear" story just to make me feel good.
Well, the nurse/caregiver confirmed the tear story. She said, four times in the phone conversation, that my dad definitely heard me, and cried a tear when he heard me crying.
I am sharing this little story with you for a simple reason: When you think it's too late to say goodbye to a parent, loved one or friend, think again . . .
Rick
P.S. Doctors say that hearing is the last sense to go.