Heaven gained an amazing angel on the evening of July 13, 2013 as Lawrence Jefferson Cook, or Jack as many knew him, left this Earth.
Daddy only lived a few weeks after coming home from the hospital the last time. While at the hospital, he began to improve, even standing (with a walker) and taking a few steps. His strength seemed to be returning and the doctors agreed it was time to go home.
He came home on Friday evening and by Sunday, I knew we were looking at the end of his life. A new hospice team joined us on Monday, led by his neice, B.J., his caring team not only took care of him, night and day, but also took care of us, the family.
As daddy progressed through the steps of death, it was heartbreaking. My heart literaly hurt, ached. But, I knew daddy wanted and needed us by his side and so by his side we stayed.
Those last two weeks, especially the last week, he did not have much communication with us his caregivers. But the one little person that seemed to be able to bring his attention back to this Earth was Christian, his newly born great-grandson.
Less than two months before, daddy waited throughout the afternoon and into the night for sweet Christian to be born. At 91, his body I'm sure longed to be comfortably resting in his recliner at home but daddy would not leave. He had waited now generations to see this little boy. Being his only child, daddy longed for a little boy. God had different plans. So as I grew into a woman and got married, he again hoped he would get a boy. God had different plans. I had not one but two daughters, Felicia and Katelyn, and each time, daddy secretly hoped for a boy. God had different plans.
God knew daddy would need the will to fight for a few more months later in his life.
And daddy did fight. He waited and smiled each time Katelyn or some of the family spoke of this little boy we were all waiting for. And then Christian "Sonny Boy" Santino Bell made his appearance late May 18. Daddy was the second person to get to hold Christian, even holding him before his mom got the chance. I will forever be grateful to Christian's dad Brent for taking the time and allowing daddy to hold Christian "first".
Daddy continued to smile over the next month as he got to hold and play with baby Christian. But as the month waned, daddy began to decline.
Death came and we lost the constant in our lives. Daddy.
