It was around 3:00PM in Brooklyn, NY on December 24, 1967, when I decided to take a walk to the local shopping avenue just a few blocks away from my home. My DAD was in Maimonides Hospital, suffering from chronic nephritis, and as a young man of 16 years old, I had no idea how very sick he was at the time. As I walked to the avenue I met a friend of mine who had just recently lost his father. I explained that I was sorry for his loss and I was not able to visit with him since my DAD was also in the hospital.
Just as I turned to walk away an extremely overwhelming urge came over me to get to the hospital as fast as I could. I had not intention of going to the hospital that day. Usually, I would have taken a bus and a train but today I felt compelled to take a taxi and get to the hospital as soon as possible.
When I arrived at the hospital my MOM was there with my aunt. I immediately went to my DAD’s bedside and I could see that he did not look very well. I bent down and hugged and kissed him and he hugged and kissed me ever so gently. He repeated “My son, my son”. He told me that he could not fight anymore. I argued with him that he was a HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR and survived the Concentration camps of Dachau and Auschwitz and could certainly fight this illness. He told me how very weak he was and once again that he cannot fight any longer.
Just then the nurse came into the room and asked that we all leave for a few moments so she could attend to my DAD. As everyone left, I once again bent down and hugged and kissed my DAD and told him how very much I loved him. I was the last to leave as the nurse drew the curtains around the bed. I looked back through the opening in the curtains into my DAD’s eyes and that was the last moment of his life.
I share this very special moment in my life with you as I know that my DAD willed me to get to the hospital and see him before he died. He knew how important that this was for me as I know if I did not have this chance I would never be able to live with myself. G-d above works in mysterious ways that we all cannot explain at this time. I know that it was with the help of G-d that I was able to see my DAD for the last time and tell him how very much I loved him and was proud of him. His spirit is with me all the time and there is not a day that goes by that I do not think of him and keep his memory alive. Miracles are happening every day of our lives. All we need to do is look around and take the time to see and experience them.
