Photo of Errol from Highschool Yearbook

This photo speaks for itself and reflects the love, care, and compassion for her child no matter how old they are

In March, my brother Errol had the urgent need to have a family party at his home in Vegas. His insistence that we come at the end of the month and his weakened state from cancer, found us hurriedly booking our airfares. Though he was sick and mostly lay,in bed, he had energy and excitement in his voice, anticipating our visit. As he anticipated our arrival, he kept saying he was having a party at his house, March 27th, the date of our arrival and what a week long party it was! Originally, we were going for him; to see him, support him, care for him, in his struggle with cancer, but it was him that gave us a gift as a family. He told us the reason for the family party was because he wanted his home to be filled with love, laughter, good times and to cre ate memories. That's exactly what the week turned out to be, and then some: the long conversations around his bedside and piled up on the bed with him, the laughter, the tears, church services on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, eating Easter dinner alongside his bed, the times he called me in his room to tell me that though everyone made Christmas so important...that it was Easter Sunday that was huge, because it was about the Resurrection and Christ dying on the Cross for our sins. There were other things...times jumping on the trampoline and having fun with the hula hoop for nightly entertainment and exercise, walking across the street for breakfast in the morning, the few times Errol rode in the car with us and the short but sweet dinner out for Italian food, the declarations of love, along with the tears. Throughout the week, Errol kept repeating to us that the visit turned out to be everything he wanted it to be: a house full of love, laughter, fun and memories and how nostalgic it all was for him. It was the perfect, week-long family gathering and he said we should always do more of it.

     Errol made the decision to fly to Chicago six days after our visit, for his one last, small, slim chance for hope in his cancer battle with an appointment at Hines Hospital. As he could hardly walk, we couldn't imagine how he would survive a plane trip, but on April 6th, he arrived in Chicago, in pretty bad shape, but after a few hours in bed at my home and having his mom sitting by him, holding his hand and the love of family, he felt peaceful. The grim news at Hines Hospital the next day, that his cancer was aggressively spreading was not pleasant but Errol seemed peaceful as family surrounded his bedside with love. Though in pain and even more weakened, there was some peace about him. He talked several times about seeing and talking with loved ones that have already passed. When I told him he would always be a part of me, he said, "of course, the soul lives on forever and those who live in Christ never die."

      On April 10th, Errol took a secret plane ride, intending to return to Vegas and when I heard that he left, I couldn't imagine how he'd make it, as he just barely handled the flight here, but I think he accomplished what he wanted to do: see his mother one last time and have one last visit in his childhood home.,

     So on April 10th, Errol took his last flight, bound for Las Vegas, but God had other plans. As the plane ascended heavenward, my brother's final flight, was indeed, Heaven. So, on a wing and a prayer, his final destination was a perfect one, lifted up into the arms of his Heavenly Father & Home.