Saying Goodbye to an Amazing Man

Grandpa Wright passed away at home after living an incredibly quiet life filled with serving others. Mom noticed him sleeping more and more near the end of 2013. She often mentioned this and explained how it was the same with Elaine prior to her passing. After the new year, he contracted a mild case of pneumonia and he was hospitalized only because of his age. I went to visit him over his 3 night stay a couple of times. He loved football so I sat and watched a University of Utah game with him for a while. He wasn’t a man of many words, but it was nice to visit with him. After returning home with hospice, Dad had a trip planned to go visit his cousin in Florida for a week with his brother Jerry and several other relatives. He left that Sunday. Grandpa’s health started to decline quickly after Dad left. So I spent most of the days at Mom and Dad’s house. On Tuesday, the nurse mentioned he had the death “rattle” and fever. She said it wouldn’t be long. Mom and I had a special week caring for him. Giving him his morphine to make him comfortable and letting him suck on a sponge to wet his mouth. By Thursday, there was no life left in him. I stayed the night each night that week so Mom would not be alone in case he passed in the middle of the night. He responded to nothing. It was a little unnerving not knowing when and wanting to be by his side when he took his last breath. I had to work the Saturday evening shift and was worried to leave mom by herself with him. I told her to call me right away. She called to say his Oxygen level had dropped into the 60’s and it wouldn’t be long. She called at midnight to say she was going to be. I got to their house around 2 a.m. and spent some time holding his hand. His breathing was very erratic and his oxygen continued in the 60’s. I finally went to bed in the next room around 3. I could hear his loud, labored breathing next door. I suddenly awoke at 3:30 and waited to hear his breathing. I couldn’t hear it any longer so I went into Mom’s bedroom and told her I think he had passed. We help each other as we walked to his room and opened the door. He looked so peaceful. We knew we was happy to see his son, Mike and daughter Anne on the other side. We are grateful he will be there to greet us when we pass on. He will be greatly missed. We love you Grandpa!!! We called Noelle who was in Germany to tell her the news. Unfortunately it was Lacee's birthday. But what an incredible man to share a celebration with. Dad arrived home later that afternoon and was sad that he didn't make it back in time to say goodbye. He didn't think he would pass so soon since he was ambulatory and coherent before he left the week before. Dad did an amazing job caring for him in his final years.