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Bittersweet Remembered




A decade later: remembering my friend, Greg Werle


Six weeks earlier, Greg got some unexpected news. This news was so exciting he could hardly contain it.  He asked for a meeting of a few close friends. The news he shared washed over his frail frame with a warm glow; he was beaming. He found out he had a brother, Danny, who lives in California.


Greg shared that they had several lengthy phone conversations.  He shared his excitement that Danny would be coming for a visit in March and that they were going to take a trip to Missouri in spring, so that Greg could show his brother their ‘roots’. Greg wished desperately to share the life he knew growing up and his memories of their father, whom Danny never knew.


Friday morning arrived for the Werle’s, with Greg in agonizing pain. Hospitalization was inevitable; cancer exacted its toll. Saturday morning, his pain eased, four of us paid a visit.  We were treated to a wonderful exchange of extensive lively conversation. 


Greg expected to be going home Sunday and we had no reason to doubt. That afternoon, reality returned; he dramatically deteriorated. I had two thoughts as I visited on Sunday morning: Greg’s time was short, and it seemed unlikely Greg and his brother would meet.

Kathy, Greg’s dear wife, sent me a text that Sunday evening asking me to pick up Danny at the airport Monday morning.  While driving, I tried to articulate Greg’s condition: Greg might not know Danny was there.


As we entered the hospital room, Greg was heavily medicated and unconscious. Danny approached, bedside.  Immediately, Greg’s eyes began blinking, then opened.  He looked directly at Danny.  Greg instantly attempted to get out of bed to hug his brother; he was too weak. 


As I stood at the foot of the bed between Kathy and their daughter Deon, we wept at the beauty of the magical moment. The two brothers met for the first time on Greg’s last day, in his last hours. I now profoundly understand the full meaning of the word: Bittersweet.

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