For those of us who were blessed enough to know Roger and call him friend, we are deeply saddened to have his love taken from us by his recent passing. We can honor Rogers memory by doing the best we can in our lives everyday. With every person we come in contact with, be it on the street in passing or with a long time friend or partner, Making sure that they are met with a smile and and open mind. We can overcome any obstacle in our lives the way Roger did. He was born with yellow gaundice andhad to fight with his very frist breath and did so until he took his very last. We know that Roger was legaly blind and could never drive a car, to read was a challenge for him. Yet, somehow, he never complained. He found out he was HIV positive. That was rough. At times he was angry, depressed, or in disbelief..........but still he got around to taking his meds and focusing on what he needed to do to beat this awful thing before it beat him. Then the tumor, the Lymphoma, the C word.
He was given six months. Try the treatment and maybe...............He was a trooper. His sister Mechelle would drive him the hour to get to his Chemo treatments once every three weeks or so and to the regular doctors appointments and eventually everyday to his radiation treatments.
His doctor was honest and straightforward with him which is what Rog would have wanted, there wasn't anything else they could do and his tired body just couldn't take anymore. Roger lost his fight on Friday morning, May 27, 2005. For 16 years Roger was my best friend, I would trade them all back in for one more hour with him, to see his smile and to hear his laugh. Or to hear him cussin' out any team the Illini Basketball Team were playing against. |
