Reginald Ramsey
September 6, 1962 –
June 25, 2010
Reginald Ramsey lived
at our Hailey Drive home and although he didn’t live
there for a very long time, his presence with us changed
us. Without question he possessed one of the most
positive spirits I have known. He had a smile that
welcomed you home and made you feel comfortable there.
When we had our accreditation visits
Reggie became one of our “stars”. Reggie thoroughly
enjoyed being a part of the RSS family and told everyone
how well he was respected here. Our accreditation
visitors recognized that and it went a long way toward
us being granted full accreditation.
When the guys living
at Hailey went to the beach for a summer vacation last
year, Reggie told us that he had never seen the beach
before in his life. And, he loved the beach.
He reminded me just how fortunate
I have been in my life since I have visited the beaches
since I was a child.
Perhaps I had come to take this
gift for granted but Reggie reminded me that it was
indeed a special place where natures power and beauty
come gloriously together just for us to behold. I will
never look at the ocean the same again, thanks to
Reggie.
Reggie had begun to
have stomach problems but he wasn’t one to complain so
his doctors just thought he might have acid reflux, but
when he winched in pain one day in front of Juanita
Jefferson, his program manager, she took him in to the
doctor again and insisted that something was wrong.
In a very short time Reggie
received the terrible news that he had an aggressive
cancer and he was encouraged to let his family know that
he didn’t have much time left to live. This was stunning
and terrible news.
While he was in the
hospital he asked again and again if he would be back at
Hailey in time for this summer’s beach trip. We knew
that the next beach trip would come too late for Reggie.
He wanted to see the ocean one more time. So, Juanita
Jefferson and Susan Murray arranged for a special beach
trip for Reggie and his sister. Reggie lived to see his
beloved ocean again before he died and we all rejoiced
when we saw the photos taken when he was there…sitting
by the ocean, smiling his big ole welcoming
smile…letting the waves and the sun come right into his
heart where it felt inviting and comfortable. That’s
Reggie. And that’s good people.
Rick Chappell
August 5, 2010
|