DAD

My Dad Reuben Eagar passed away today May 2, 2011 at the age of 62 years old. I talked with Mom on the phone on May 1st, our weekly Sunday call, and the subject of Dad's declining health came up. Suddenly Mom said, "Dad needs me Matt", so we hung up and she went to attend to Dad. Mom rushed him to the ER at his request and he became unresponsive about half way there. My Mom got some people to help get him in and they quickly did a CT scan and found blood on his brain, most likely a stroke. They life flighted him to Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix where they tried other things and eventually determined He was too far gone. Stacy and I were in a panic at home in Ohio. Stacy hurried to get me a ticket thanks to the kindness and generosity of my amazing Mother and Father in Law. We quickly learned about the increasing severity through phone updates and we quickly applied our summer vacation plane ticket credit to purchase tickets for Stacy and the kids. Stacy and I stayed up till 2 am doing laundry, woke up at 6am to pack, and were on a plane at 10am. The kids are doing alright, Emma is really struggling, but really got some closure by seeing my Dad, touching his hands, and talking to him. So much closure in fact that she asked to be alone with him. Stacy and I heard her sweetly say, "I love you Grandpa, please come back and wake up so you can be with us." This exchange literally broke my already heavy heart and I just sank into the depths. She made him an adorable get well card with heart balloons, and a picture of him cutting firewood and loading it in his truck. We sang his favorite songs to him and then my brother Lincoln was voice to a very powerful Priesthood blessing that we were all able to stand in on. We each gave him a kiss on his forehead and we all decided to watch the nurses unhook him from life support. We really found closure in the fact that the doctor informed us that along with the stroke, he had acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). In hindsight this was a huge blessing to us because it took him almost pain free. To think that my Father has been living through this pain for months and going about His regular duties to me is remarkable. He was set to get blood tests today which would have revealed all of this if He had not had the stroke and have been rushed to the hospital.

Everything in my life reminds me of my Dad. His barnwood picture frames in our house, every ounce of my personality and being reflects Him. He co-signed on our house and I am reminded of Him constantly. I burst into tears everytime a new memory of him rushes to my mind. He is the ultimate mans man, a man of velvet and steel. He raised His children to be like this also. My Mom is doing well and our family is very strong and will get through this. The funeral is Friday at 11am at the Stake Center on Brown Road between Gilbert and Lindsay.