End of a Chapter
What began with a simple phone call on July 30, 2009, from Tom Lazio, director of the American Home Finding Association, marked the opening of a new chapter in my search to find my parents and biological siblings. That unexpected call set many things in motion.
Nearly two years later, John shared difficult news—he had been diagnosed with esophageal cancer and was given a life expectancy of six months to two years. Hoping for more time, he asked his oncologist if five years might be possible with treatment. The answer was sobering: only a one-in-one-hundred chance. Even so, John came remarkably close to beating those odds, living until December of 2014.
On Saturday, December 6, 2014, at 3:07 PM, I received a call from Sandy Hopkins. Her voice carried the news that John had passed away just ten minutes earlier. He had been staying at Mercy Hospice House in Hiawatha, Iowa, since November 10th. When I asked who was with him, she told me her mother and sisters were there. They had been praying together and had just finished reading Psalm 23 when he quietly slipped away.
God blessed me with the privilege of knowing my brother John and spending five meaningful years together. During that time, we grew close, and Becky and I shared many special moments with John and Sandy. My final visit with him was on Wednesday, November 26, 2014. Though he was no longer able to carry on a full conversation, I was able to speak with him and show him pictures of my family—images I knew would bring him joy.
Before I left, I read from Scripture and prayed with John and Sandy. It is a moment I will always carry with me, and one for which I will be forever grateful.
Shirley Wiggins
This woman was an important part of our lives before the adoption. She was a friend of my biological mother Lynn Bush and the namesake of my sister Shirley. I met her on August 24th, 2009 shortly after reuniting with my brother. John had a friend that he referred to as ‘Bud’ and through conversation with him learned of Shirley Wiggins. We both learned that she was blinded due to the same misfortune as my mom Marilyn (Lynn) Bush.
Shirley recounted visiting our family in the row house apartment in Chicago, Illinois prior to our adoption and expanded on that visit when talking with her in 2009.
She attended John’s funeral and gave us an opportunity to take the photo below. The photo is that of me, Shirley Wiggins, and my sister Shirley.
The other photo is that of John at 6 years old.
