Originally published December 8, 2010



This week we lost a dear friend who was wonderful with both my Mom and Dad. He died suddenly of a heart attack at age 63. The Doctor told him to lose weight and quit smoking six months ago but because he didn’t have health insurance they didn’t run any tests. Turned out Dave had 3 blockages of the heart. We loved him much, we’ll miss him. Following is a poem I wrote for him:

You showed up on our door one day and said Can I help you?



And you stayed.

You tricked us into thinking we were helping you.



And you stayed.

You put family and friends first,


And you stayed.

You showed our father compassion and patience,



And you stayed.

You did all the little things that were important to our mom,



And you stayed.

You hauled stinky fish, got in the fish tank,



And you stayed.

You picked up rocks one by one and put them in place for Mom,



And you stayed.

You laughed, you danced, and you were a great friend,



And you stayed.

You were a faithful man, gentle and kind,



And you stayed.

You helped mend Cheyenne’s heart,



And you stayed.

You showed respect to all the customers, worked hard,



And You stayed.

We’ll drink that mint julep with mom on the porch,



And we’ll feel your spirit knowing it has stayed in our hearts.

 

In Honor of David Petit, December 8, 2010