[Earl]

Thank you in advance.

My father has a younger sister but no brothers. In Kindergarden he met a boy named Bob Witt. Bob and he hit it off instantly and have been best friends and like brothers for life. They are now 71 years old. A 65+ year friendship is one that is amazing to say the least but their closeness is rare.

Last June (while mom and dad were in Europe on a cruise) Bob had a heart attack. When m+d got back dad was quite upset at the thought that he might have lost his best friend/brother and would not have been there for him and his family.

Well, Bob survived and recovered. In October he was feeling weak and sore so went for a physical. They discovered he had cancer but were not sue what kind.

Bob and his wife have 2 children. Bob jr. is 41 and daughter is 39. They also have 5 grand children. Bob and his wife will have been married 50 years in March. From 1995 - 2005 they were full time RV'ers driving the country. In 2005 they bought a home in their native Wisconsin but spend Oct - May in their RV here in AZ.

So, a week before leaving for AZ this past Oct. Bob got his cancer diagnosis. With the great cancer treatment centers in AZ, they kept the plans to come here. Then two days later Bob Jr. was driving his twin daughters home from daycare (7 years old) and a pharm. sales rep lost control of his car and drove across 3 lanes of traffic and hit Bob Jr. head on, rolling the van 4 times and ejecting Bob, the girls were strapped in.

Bob Jr. lost vision in one eye, lost his left leg and part of his left hand. and just got out of the hospital in January. He is in Chicago.

Well, the point of this story, aside from getting you to know the situation is Bob Sr.'s Cancer turned out to be wide spread and started in his Pancreas. He is in the hospital here and the doc's TODAY gave him one to two weeks to live, the cancer is now in his bones.

Since he can not drive the RV home, and his one last wish is to see his family again, and his son can't drive the RV, my father is leaving tomorrow (friday) morning and driving Bob's wife and thir RV with explorer in tow back to AZ. He is taking another friend and they hope to make it in one shot. I pray Bob does not die on the road.

My dad lost his father when he was 18 from a heart attack and Bob is really closer than most brothers much less friends. I fear my father will not be able to hand Bob's death well. He is a "macho marine" and very "manly". He is not really talking about it much and is sort of shutting us all out.

I told dad I would go with him if he wanted and he is letting me know tomorrow. I will fill you all in if I am on the road, or if you don't hear from me, I will call AMN and let her know and she can tell you all.

Anyway, please pray for Bob and his family, and pray for my family especially my father.

Such a strong man to fade so fast and so badly. I know he is a believer and knows where he is going.

Again, sorry it is so long. I guess writing is my way of coping.

God Bless.