Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, September 22, 1994 TAG: 9411040001
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: W15 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Dear Neighbors:
It is wonderful to know we have loving, caring, caregivers at Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
My cousin planned to be married Aug. 1. He had a heart attack July 29.
The nurses overheard him tell his fiancee of letting her down. They quickly made arrangements for a wedding in his coronary care unit.
They bought streamers and balloons and made it possible for a few pictures to be made.
God bless these caring people.
Wanda Booze
Roanoke
Dear Neighbors:
We are writing this letter to publicly thank Homer Duff, a resident of Roanoke and an employee of Roanoke County schools.
On May 6, 1994, our son Scott Silkensen, a junior at Radford University, was heading home on I-81 when his car overheated. Scott pulled his car over to the shoulder.
Duff was heading south on I-81 when he saw Scott on the other side of the highway. He crossed over and stopped to see if he could be of some help. He gave Scott a ride to a nearby convenience store telephone and then back to his car. He helped Scott decide where to have the car towed and repaired and stayed with Scott until his car was repaired.
Duff went out of his way to help our son on that Friday afternoon. For this, we will be forever grateful. The Roanoke area should indeed be proud to have this man a part of their community.
Bob and Chris Silkensen
Fredericksburg
Dear Neighbors:
To the driver who hit the cat with gray stripes, white chest and white paws on Bower Road Southwest on May 21: SHAME ON YOU!
You could have at least stopped to try to find the cat's owner or at least to move it out of the road. But no, you drove on, leaving the cat trying to drag itself out of the road (which it couldn't do).
You should be ashamed of yourself. It's because of people like you that my cat will never, ever be let out of the house. I wouldn't be able to bear the thought of him getting hit and left in the road by an insensitive, callous and cruel driver.
Kimberly D. Carico
Roanoke
Dear Neighbors:
A year ago in mid-August, I received a kidney/pancreas transplant. At this time, I want to thank all of you who helped me through it with your cards, letters, phone calls, thoughts and prayers.
This thank-you also goes to my family members who were always there, not just through the transplant but also the many years before, helping me deal with my diabetes and dialysis. And, it goes to all my friends and co-workers at Ewald-Clark, who had to not only work shorthanded for 47 days while I was in the hospital but also did all they could to help me slowly rebuild my strength when I returned to work.
A special thanks to Frank and Gordon Ewald, who went out of their way to help me. It meant more than you can ever know.
I have many friends whom I have never met who sent cards and letters. People who had heard about my surgery through friends of mine, through many customers or through accounts in the newspaper. These people who had never met me, and many whom I have not yet met, took time to send warm wishes and smiles, which made the hospital stay much easier to handle.
The Roanoke Times & World-News gets a big thanks for its interest with stories before and after the transplant, as well as for now allowing me to say thank you to everyone.
My biggest thank-you goes out to the family that made this all possible. At a time of great loss to themselves, the loss of their son, they thought to help others by donating his organs. This had to be a difficult decision, and I thank them for it. It has changed my life dramatically and has taken much worry and stress off my family and friends.
Thanks to all of you, we've made it a year and with many more to come.
Michael McClanahan
Roanoke
by CNB