Aiphy

and had gone home to get a few hours sleep. Joan and Eileen had
made arrangements to stay for the evening with their mother, by
their Dad’s bedside. Edna, Ida, Velda, LeRoy and Ivan had also
spent some time with their Dad, but had returned home to get a
little rest to prepare for the next day. Dennis had held back as long
as he could, but finally he entered his father’s hospital room,
choking back tears. Dennis knew he could only hold back the tears
for a short while. He spoke a few words to his Dad, and then
hurried out- no doubt to have a cry.

Approximately 4:00 o’clock in the afternoon, Alphy sat up in
bed, his eyes looked upward to the uppermost corner of his hospital
room, towards the ceiling. He said, “ There she is, she’s finally
come.”

He spoke tenderly, and Margurita didn’t want to interrupt him.
She didn’t ask any questions. Who was Alphy referring to, was it
his guardian angel?

Within the next hour, Alphy’s breathing became more shallow,
and he seemed to be struggling with the oxygen mask that the
doctor had prescribed to help his breathing. By 4:50 pm, Alphy was
trying to say something. Margurita could see that he was mouthing
the words with his lips, but there was no sound coming out of his
mouth. Again he struggled with the oxygen mask, while his eyes
remained fixed on her. The constant noise of the oxygen machine
was also drowning any sound in the room.

Margurita reached out gently to her husband, and took the
oxygen mask from his mouth - he breathed a few words, but his
strength was almost extinguished. His last words were not audible. It
appeared as though he was saying, “Margurita.”

Eileen and Joan were standing on the left side of their father’s
bed. Eileen had been holding his hand, when her mother had taken
off the oxygen mask. Alphy now squeezed his daughter’s hand, in a
gesture of good-bye, then his brown, soul-filled eyes gazed upward,

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