Rodger had a tough life. My heart breaks when I think of his struggles. His mental illness disrupted his life from an early age and the drugs they gave him in the beginning were sometimes worse than his illness. Thank God treatment improved along the way. He didn't have a partner or children to share his life with. He had no work to add purpose and meaning to his life. He was alone a lot and often lonely.
But let's look at what Rodger did have.
He had a mother who loved him to pieces and never gave up on him. She answered the phone late at night even if she was exhausted. She believed in the good, kind-hearted human being he was. After all, he was a reflection of her.
Rodger had a personality that drew people to him. Somehow he found people to care for him and about him in the many places he spent his days:
Friendship House in Hackensack
Religious communities, among them Baptist congregations and Beth Israel, a Messianic Jewish congregation
North Arlington Senior Center
Apartments and neighborhoods where he resided.

He had an abiding faith in God and Jesus Christ and found peace in reading the Bible
He had to have had a Guardian Angel who helped him survive many risky situations throughout the years.
He had the ability to develop relationships with everyone from the Pastor of his church to his contacts at Verizon, Direct TV and Mastercard. In his final days he wanted to call his dentist in Waldwick who he had seen for many years. He also wanted to talk with Connie, Director of the North Arlington Senior Center who had taken him under her wing in recent years.
Rodger lived on his own terms and didn't want anyone to worry about him or feel sorry for him. Throughout the last 6 months with all his health challenges, he never complained. Even on his last day, he struggled to verbalize in a broken, labored voice, "I'm all right." That day he was still trying to remember and say his nurses' names. They all loved him!
Let's not forget that amazing memory Rodger had. He sure could remember dates, birthdays, etc.
So I'm asking you all to remember what you can about Rodger so that we can honor him and his life and so that these memories can be around for a long time to come.
I'm so grateful that we had that last week with him. It was a real blessing. I never felt as close to him. And I still feel him with me now.