TWO DEATHS

On Friday, September 14, 2001, I learned that, as I had been expecting, my mother’s doctor felt that she had only a few more days to live.  Naturally, I went to her bedside.

On the same day, I learned that, totally unexpectedly, my friend and scuba diving buddy Chuck Jones had been on American Flight 11 that slammed into the World Trade Center.  There was nowhere to go.

The juxtaposition of these two deaths brought home for me a telling, personal perspective on the scope of the September 11 tragedy that I share here with you.

Jesse Heines

DOROTHY HEINES 1918-2001		CHUCK JONES 1953-2001
died surrounded by family		died surrounded by strangers
passed in peace, controlled and orderly		passed in flames, uncontrolled and chaotic
spent her last moments flooded with love		spent his last moments flooded in terror
said good-bye to her loved ones and her loved ones had a chance to say good-bye to her		was ripped from his loved ones without a chance for anyone to say good-bye
lived a life full of memories, now naturally completed		lived a life full of promise, snuffed out in its prime
her passing was sad, but filled with grace		his passing was tragic, filled with horror
her family has arranged a final resting place for her remains		his family is not even left with any remains to bury
taken by angels’ hands		taken by madmen’s hands
now in God’s hands		now in God’s hands
Family Party March 2001		Palau, New Guinea August 1999