Note: this is 100% fiction

With each breath becoming increasingly difficult, he thought desperately, “I’m not ready to go. Please don’t make me go so soon.” All around him, family and friends gathered around his hospital bed, witnessing his final moments.

There was no weeping. There was no reason to weep.

He had lost so much in life. He lost his wife 20 years into their marriage due to cancer and his only son shortly after again to cancer. After age 50, he had no one and nothing to love and to pursue except the bottom of a whiskey bottle.

He drank and drank until he lost his job, his home, and just about every cent he’s ever saved. He drank until a good Samaritan found him unconscious in an alley one night and brought him to the hospital. “His liver is failing fast.” The doctor told the good Samaritan. “I’m afraid there’s not much I can do other than to contact his family so they can say their farewells.”

So there was no reason to weep. After all, he’s about to be reunited with his love ones.

“Please,” he pleaded, “don’t…”

“Dad?” A voice he hadn’t heard in what seemed like forever called.

“Son?” He reached out to make sure he’s real, when their fingers touched, he exclaimed. “It is you!”

Meanwhile, around his hospital bed, family and friends stood, some bowed their heads in prayer while some stood, offering a moment of silence as a sheet draped over his body. His heart had stopped exactly 15 minutes ago.

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A little backstory – This picture reminded me of my step-father whom I lost to alcohol in 2011. He was just 49 when he passed. In the 4 years since my mom and I left him in Texas for Utah, he had hit the bottle hard until his liver failed followed by other organs, at least, according to his friend. The sad part was I was on the verge of reconciliation. We were speaking again as he was getting his anger at me for leaving him. The saddest part was I had to find out about this via Facebook.

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