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Jennifer, Joseph, Kari Anne, Brian
The Accident
On Monday evening, August 10, 2009, about 7:30 PM Brian fell from a scissor lift in his shop where he was spraying insulation on the ceiling. This blog is dedicated to his recovery and family information so you can pray.
You can enlarge any of the photos on the blog postings by clicking on them.
You can also leave a message for Jennifer by clicking on "comments" below the posting.
You can make donations by following the instructions under the posting named "Finances".
We met Brian when he was only 17 years old. We needed somebody to help us get logs for our cabin in Gakona, and we'd just had twins. Somebody told us to call Larry DeVilbiss in Palmer.
ReplyDeleteBrian was a surprise when he showed up by himself with a bunch of heavy-duty logging equipment. He was so young. And so competent. And so cheery --
He ran that huge truck down to Tiekel, where the state had cut a new road for the Pipeline, and had piled up the logs beside the road.
We watched and fretted for him as he confidently loaded up the logs, and brought them back up to our building site.
Over those first years, we went for two or three summers to Palmer on special pea-buying trips. Brian had convinced us that we really needed Palmer peas to get through the winter -- and that he was the man to sell them to us. We'd load up our car with bags of fresh peas, rush back up the highway to Gakona, and spend most of the night blanching them in small batches for the freezer -- because Brian said they had to be blanched immediately. And Brian knew.
He was a great believer in agriculture. He sent us a postcard that featured the Palmer Potato. It was of a little toy truck with a huge potato loaded on the bed. Brian had scribbled a little message on the back -- something to the effect that wouldn't THAT be something?!! I kept that postcard around for years and years. It's STILL around here somewhere...
I guess sometimes we wonder as we go through life if we actually have an impact on the people we come across. Admittedly, our contact with Brian was fleeting. But I would say that he gave us a glimpse of what a young man could grow into -- something that new parents are very interested in seeing.
Of course, we knew, even then, that it was a very unusual thing for someone as young as Brian to be as fully-formed and capable as he was.
Linda Weld, Gakona, Alaska
Larry,
ReplyDeleteMy son just called for awhile. Getting back to these pictures,
yes, that black and white series was from June or July, 1977.
Brian came down in June, and my husband, Jeremy, reminded me
that he also showed up on his own voluntarily on July 4th, and stuck
around to dig our basement with us as our neighbors set off firecrackers
at midnight.
Jeremy is vaguely in one of the pictures, and his arm and chest are
in the closeup. This looks like it's on the utility right of way near our house.
They've since taken down the poles.
We are very sorry for the terrible loss, and Brian's injury.
Linda Weld
I loved Uncle Brian's picture collection. Tricia described the service to me...sounds like it went well. Darrel and I spent his service time looking at his pictures, and when it was over, we were playing with Joelle on the floor - Susan Joelle gave us her crazy grin and took her first steps!! Joy and sadness all mixed together....this little thing called life!" Carrie
ReplyDeleteDavid sent me the link to Brian's passing. I was shocked to learn of it. I did not know that he had been injured. I have not told Mom yet, but will when I see her next. So much has happened I can't begin to tell you. I felt so bad to hear of the accident and also read the journal and looks like you folks have been on a real journey to try to get him back. I just want you to know how sorry I feel. I remember when Ralph brought him back along with Billy. We were there that Winter. Dad kept things going while Ralph had gone to Korea to get the two boys. That was quite an ordeal. I remember sleeping down in the bottom back bedroom and I remember Brian having a bed in the same room. I don't recall Billy being in there. I think your Mom had him out in the other room. Ralph was always proud of him. I never saw him too much through the years after the Winter we spent on the Wolverine, except on rare occasion. My heart felt sympathy to you all.
ReplyDeleteAfter Jan and I returned from Australia and New Zealand, we were in Kodiak just long enough to clear off the desk paper work and then Jan and I brought Mom down to her house in October. Just before we were to return, Jan was diagnosed with cancer, so we just stayed here. I had to have Mom go into a retirement home in Lincoln City as it was just too much caring for both Jan and Mom. We are in Coos Bay now as Jan has undergone six weeks of radiation and chemo. We leave at the end of this week. Will go back to Lincoln City. Then Jan will have to ready herself for surgery, then more chemo. Looks like we will be down here most of the year. At least until Fall time sometime. I am not cutting Jan short of any treatments as there as there is too much at stake. I have her in the second largest very high rated cancer center on the West coast. Will do the surgery part of it in Portland at OHSU. They are top rated too. We are going to get through this thing.
Larry, we have a daily journal on the web with guest book comments, photos and stuff. You can look at it and will explain more by going to www.caringbridge.org/visit/jfinlay.
I plan to leave Mom in the Dorchester House in Lincoln City until Jan is out of the woods with this stuff.
It makes us thankful to God each day we have. There is lots of prayers going up for Jan and would appreciate your prayers. God so far has directed into the right facilities to get good treatment and really trust in him each day to see us through this.
Take care and God Bless----------Dale-----------