Lifeboat, anyone?

Do you have people in your life that you know you can depend on if something terribly went wrong? The story I'm about to tell you is the story of faith, friendship and what happens when life hands you the unexpected. I promise that although this will be long, I will make it into shortened version.

I have gained so much love, joy and wisdom from people who's lives have crossed my path. I know for certain that every person who I meet has a purpose, whether for me to touch them or for them to touch me.

In this case, I was undoubtedly touched.

TV Boo trained at a U.S. gymnastics training center, known for bringing Olympic dreams to life. Being in the gym while she trained, I had nothing to do but read, write or chat with the parents around me.

One of the dads, H, was Korean but American born. He and his wife drove quite a distance for their daughter to train as an Olympic hopeful. Six hours a day, 6 days a week, they were there.

H was a friendly, proud, humorous dad who never showed his anger. He was a pastor and also getting his doctrate in theology. His wife, I, was quiet and seldom spoke. For that reason, I believe, most people assumed that she didn't speak English.

One day, H and I started to talk about food and cooking and before long, he called I over and said, "Honey, Simone wants to learn to cook Korean food. Can you get her a cookbook?"

At that moment, her and I began to talk. I found that she was funny, intelligent and passionate. I loved her spirit...soft and warm, friendly and caring. We became friends at just the right time.

Weeks later, I walked into the gym to hear whispers of "I can't believe he's dead."

"Who?" I asked.

"H" they replied.

Apparently, H had died of a heart aneurysm. No warning. In fact, he complained of chest pains. He went to the emergency room where they thought it was fluid on his lungs when actually, it was blood leaking from the arteries of his heart. "I" was in the waiting room when suddenly, personnel went scrambling, while the code and alarms sounded.

"What is happening?" "I" asked.

"H's heart burst (aneurysm). We're preparing to airlift him to UCLA." By then, H was unconscious.

"I" got into the car and attempted to drive. She never drove. H always drove. On her way to UCLA, she received the message that the hospital didn't have availability for a trauma patient and back they went to the hospital they had just left.

When the helicopter landed and the stretcher came through, the first thing "I" did was to run to "H". She said to him, "You are so cold, "H". Why are you so cold?"

Little did she know that H had passed away en route to the hospital.

To be continued....