My 28 year-old 'Slow Disciple' friend has a heart attack
I have mentioned a guy named David W. a few times on this blog. He was at the OM orientation conference I went to at the beginning of my gopher year, was in some of the pictures I posted here of the time, and 'starred' in a video I put up (of a dance competition). Here's the link if you want to see it again.
David W (whose last name I have shortened for security reasons), aka the "Slow Disciple" has also been a fixture on this blog - under the "blogs" section in the right column. (You can still email me for the password to his site.)
Just before finishing my year as gopher, David came and spent a couple of days with me and Mark Roberts (the next gopher). We had a grand time with this big, 300 lb! fun-loving guy who has been serving in Israel for the past two years. We talked about things that matter and, admittedly, things that don't.
I said goodbye to David on September 7th and just found out today (took a while for the news to get to me) that David suffered a heart attack a week later - on September 15th; back home in Arizona.
David was in his apartment when the heart attack happened. Thankfully, he was able to call 911. The paramedics found him with his heart stopped, but were able to revive him.
The diagnosis: In the words of the guy who sent me the news: "So far doing well although has chronic short term memory loss, doesn't remember any of his recent friends or much of his time in Israel. He knows who he is but not how old he is. He knows who his family are and his old friends. He may have lost some color vision or he can't remember names of colors."
When I read this--even though I spent hours and hours with him just a couple of weeks ago--I couldn't help but wonder if David would remember me. Also, David and I had spent so much time talking about our future plans. How have David's plans been changed?
I have a few reasons for writing this blog:
-to request prayer for David
-to thank God for David's life; because had he died when he had the heart attack, his life would not have been a waste
-to remember that "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." (Proverbs 16:9)
-to recognize that something like this won't happen to most of us, but to encourage us to live as though it would
Lord, we pray for David. Thank you for using him to help so many people in Israel and elsewhere. Thank you for sparing his life. Be with his family and give them, and David, wisdom. Keep using David, Lord. Restore his memory if it is your will. And help us on this blog to learn from David's life. In Jesus' name. Amen.
David W (whose last name I have shortened for security reasons), aka the "Slow Disciple" has also been a fixture on this blog - under the "blogs" section in the right column. (You can still email me for the password to his site.)
Just before finishing my year as gopher, David came and spent a couple of days with me and Mark Roberts (the next gopher). We had a grand time with this big, 300 lb! fun-loving guy who has been serving in Israel for the past two years. We talked about things that matter and, admittedly, things that don't.
I said goodbye to David on September 7th and just found out today (took a while for the news to get to me) that David suffered a heart attack a week later - on September 15th; back home in Arizona.
David was in his apartment when the heart attack happened. Thankfully, he was able to call 911. The paramedics found him with his heart stopped, but were able to revive him.
The diagnosis: In the words of the guy who sent me the news: "So far doing well although has chronic short term memory loss, doesn't remember any of his recent friends or much of his time in Israel. He knows who he is but not how old he is. He knows who his family are and his old friends. He may have lost some color vision or he can't remember names of colors."
When I read this--even though I spent hours and hours with him just a couple of weeks ago--I couldn't help but wonder if David would remember me. Also, David and I had spent so much time talking about our future plans. How have David's plans been changed?
I have a few reasons for writing this blog:
-to request prayer for David
-to thank God for David's life; because had he died when he had the heart attack, his life would not have been a waste
-to remember that "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." (Proverbs 16:9)
-to recognize that something like this won't happen to most of us, but to encourage us to live as though it would
Lord, we pray for David. Thank you for using him to help so many people in Israel and elsewhere. Thank you for sparing his life. Be with his family and give them, and David, wisdom. Keep using David, Lord. Restore his memory if it is your will. And help us on this blog to learn from David's life. In Jesus' name. Amen.
posted by Nigel Paul at 9:38 AM
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