and a privilege to be the son of Leland Lee Euritt. The inevitable has happened and I have to make this trip. At first I was looking at it wrong... Ilooked at it as a chore, something that had to be done which is go back and see my dad one last time. Cancer has spread through his bones, in his lungs etc. He did chemo and made him worse. He can't stand, can hardly move and has no hair and that is the good side of it.
So I was reluctant to face the truth, he is dying, I did not want to face facts and knew I would be a big blubbering baby when I saw him and especially when leaving to come back home to VA, the thought is there, you will not see him alive again. Had fact to face but it's true. I was being selfish only thinking of me... I hope to god I can be the man my dad was...
He is the most patient man I know
The most giving
The most caring
He is very proud too
Not one ounce of selfishness in him
Has great character and is the most upstanding person I know... I want to be like him...
Yesterday it hit me... this can't be easy for him. To allow others to see him in this condition. It has to be hard for him... he has always been independant never relied on anyone to do anything for him and now the tables are turned and he has to rely on everyone to just get thru the day.
Though I go in sadness, I also will go with pride. He is a great man.
Not many know but he only has one arm. He has done more with one arm than many men have done with two arms. He always has said that he is not handicapped, people who do not utilize the resources they have are handicapped. He wears an old hook prosthesis and always loves to shake hands with it so he can pinch your fingers...lol
He built a desk, a brick walkway, painted the two story house, put in a garden drip system and controls all by himself. He always finished what he started and did what he needed to do to be able to complete anything he started.
I don't have that kind of patience.
He told me two things in life that have stuck by me.
1. Only you can allow yourself to be used as a doormat.
2. Your mind is a direct reflection of your surroundings. (If you house is messy your mind is that way too)
I will never forget this one time, I had sold him my Chevy Sprint. He and my mom where driving along the levis in Stockton CA when out of no where they were t-boned. The car landed on the drivers side door and almost skidded into the levi. My mom crawled out of the passenger side window then so did my dad. The driver of the other car was just freaking out, my mom told the driver they were fine but my dad might have hurt himself. The guy really freaks out now.
Later at the hospital when I arrived, they told me what happened, I inmmediatley felt for the guy, I knew why he was freaking out... you would too if you had just got in an accident and the other guy crawls out missing a limb...I think I would have freaked out too...lol
My dad worked 17 1/2 years at Folsom Prison where he maintained the respect of those that worked with him. I grew up around death threats to staff, towards my dad, and all the while knowing prison policy, the prison will not negotiate a surrender if it happens.
Lee Euritt was one of the few State workers that actually earned what he was paid. He brought work home. He worried for his inmate workers. He believed if you treated a man with respect he would respect you back. He was right, at those times at least.
So knowing yes this will be the last time I see him alive, I go with pride, my dad was my hero. I am thankful I have this time with him, I am thankful for having him in my life as long as I have (I will be 50 next year). And most im[portant of all, I know he is in bad shape and that he would rather not have me see him this way, but he is facing the end on his own terms.
Mr. Leland Lee Euritt - a great man, great father and great friend. I LOVE YOU.
(Sorry for the length of this, also, I want to mention that if BOTL wasn't here I don't know where I would be. Thank you for participating in the auctions I have held. Thank you all for your generosity, sincerity and patience with me. And above all thank you for the support you have given me.)
So I was reluctant to face the truth, he is dying, I did not want to face facts and knew I would be a big blubbering baby when I saw him and especially when leaving to come back home to VA, the thought is there, you will not see him alive again. Had fact to face but it's true. I was being selfish only thinking of me... I hope to god I can be the man my dad was...
He is the most patient man I know
The most giving
The most caring
He is very proud too
Not one ounce of selfishness in him
Has great character and is the most upstanding person I know... I want to be like him...
Yesterday it hit me... this can't be easy for him. To allow others to see him in this condition. It has to be hard for him... he has always been independant never relied on anyone to do anything for him and now the tables are turned and he has to rely on everyone to just get thru the day.
Though I go in sadness, I also will go with pride. He is a great man.
Not many know but he only has one arm. He has done more with one arm than many men have done with two arms. He always has said that he is not handicapped, people who do not utilize the resources they have are handicapped. He wears an old hook prosthesis and always loves to shake hands with it so he can pinch your fingers...lol
He built a desk, a brick walkway, painted the two story house, put in a garden drip system and controls all by himself. He always finished what he started and did what he needed to do to be able to complete anything he started.
I don't have that kind of patience.
He told me two things in life that have stuck by me.
1. Only you can allow yourself to be used as a doormat.
2. Your mind is a direct reflection of your surroundings. (If you house is messy your mind is that way too)
I will never forget this one time, I had sold him my Chevy Sprint. He and my mom where driving along the levis in Stockton CA when out of no where they were t-boned. The car landed on the drivers side door and almost skidded into the levi. My mom crawled out of the passenger side window then so did my dad. The driver of the other car was just freaking out, my mom told the driver they were fine but my dad might have hurt himself. The guy really freaks out now.
Later at the hospital when I arrived, they told me what happened, I inmmediatley felt for the guy, I knew why he was freaking out... you would too if you had just got in an accident and the other guy crawls out missing a limb...I think I would have freaked out too...lol
My dad worked 17 1/2 years at Folsom Prison where he maintained the respect of those that worked with him. I grew up around death threats to staff, towards my dad, and all the while knowing prison policy, the prison will not negotiate a surrender if it happens.
Lee Euritt was one of the few State workers that actually earned what he was paid. He brought work home. He worried for his inmate workers. He believed if you treated a man with respect he would respect you back. He was right, at those times at least.
So knowing yes this will be the last time I see him alive, I go with pride, my dad was my hero. I am thankful I have this time with him, I am thankful for having him in my life as long as I have (I will be 50 next year). And most im[portant of all, I know he is in bad shape and that he would rather not have me see him this way, but he is facing the end on his own terms.
Mr. Leland Lee Euritt - a great man, great father and great friend. I LOVE YOU.
(Sorry for the length of this, also, I want to mention that if BOTL wasn't here I don't know where I would be. Thank you for participating in the auctions I have held. Thank you all for your generosity, sincerity and patience with me. And above all thank you for the support you have given me.)
