The Call

February starts an array of emotions for me and my family. Its the month of love but also the month we dread the most. Here is the story leading to my sweet father's death, David Wilson, on February 17, 2002.

I'll start with the weekend of February 9th. Daddy always had some kind of project that would keep him busy. He loved tinkering on old cars, especially Corvettes, and motorcycles. This particular weekend Daddy and I were tuning up his Harley Davidson. I loved to be right by his side and help him. He had taught me how to change my own oil, jump off my car, and many other little things. So this weekend we were changing the oil and the spark plugs on his Harley. He actually let me do it and watched while I figured out what went where. After we were done he wanted to take it for a test drive to make sure it was running properly. He got on the motorcycle to take it down the driveway and didn't put on his helmet. I asked him to put it on and he said "Honey, I'm just making a loop and I'll be right back." I wasn't satisfied with that and so he put on the helmet. I was so thankful that he did even if was just down the driveway. I had already pictured every possible bad thing that could happen without it.

Usually every year Daddy would get my sister and I a little box of chocolate for Valentine's Day. I never really liked any of the chocolates but I always looked forward to him thinking of us. This year he had done something different. He got my sister,Krissy, and I a potted plant and my mom a dozen roses. It was so special and you could tell that he was proud. Valentine's Day that year was on a Thursday and Mom, me and my sister were leaving the next day to go to a youth convention in Birmingham, Alabama. That Valentine's evening we spent packing and getting ready for our trip. Before we went to bed I wanted to get on AOL instant messenger (that was before texting came along) and Daddy didn't want me to. He wanted me to snuggle with him and Mama for a few minutes before I went to bed. I guess to him me being 17 didn't matter. I was still his "one and only" as he would call me. I don't know if he felt like something may happen or if it was just because we were leaving the next day, but he begged to let him hold me one last time. Well, I was pouting because I wanted to go chat on AOL and so I didn't let him hold me. Oh how I regret that moment. I have went back a millions times to the moment that would have been the last precious time with him but I had to spoil it. I would give anything now to feel his strong arms comforting me. I had no idea that would be the last time I would ever see him alive.

The next day he left early that morning to go to work and I didn't get to see him. My mom, sister and I got ready and left with our church for the convention. That night I got to talk to my daddy on the phone. I did get to tell him that I loved him and he told me the same and said that he was already missing us. My mom got to talk to him again the next morning and he told her that he would have the bed warm and ready for her when she got home late that night. They had no idea what horrific event would take place that day.

It was a beautiful day and was perfect for riding a motorcycle. My dad decided to take his out for a spin and enjoy the sunshine. As he was riding a woman came on to his side of the road and hit Daddy. We believe that the was probably dead on the scene but he was rushed to South
Central and put on life supporting machines. While all of this was going on my mother and I were singing and worshiping at the convention. We had just been introduced to the band "Mercy Me" and had fallen in love with their new song "I Can Only Imagine." Mom bought their CD while there not knowing that would be the very song that she would play at her husband's funeral. We were in the middle of singing and worshiping when Stephanie,our pastor's daughter, had received word from her father that my mom needed to call the hospital in Laurel. All of this starts to become a blur to me but somehow I end up outside with her and she explains to me that Daddy had been in a wreck but was still "alive." South Central decided to fly him to Mobile and we took the church bus to meet him there. I still didn't realize or want to believe how serious things really were. Several people from our church was already there and many more people came. I remember everyone telling me that I didn't need to see him because it was not a good thing to remember. I took their advice but I do regret not seeing him one last time. Everyone says "oh, you wouldn't want to remember him like that" but I wished that I could have soaked in everything that was my Daddy; his rough work hands, his smell, his big calve muscles that everyone noticed, and anything that was recognizable.

The doctors explained to Mom that he was brain dead and there was nothing else that they could do. So the next day we had to make the hardest decision of our lives. We told the doctors to take him off the machines. I was praying and hoping the whole time that when they took him off the machines he would prove them wrong and breathe on his own. He died on the Lord's Day, February 17, 2002.

We had a closed casket for the funeral, but I told my family that if I didn't get to see him that I would never believe he was in that casket and I would never believe that he was dead. I had to see with my own eyes. They let me see him and it still didn't feel real to me. I think when people go through something so tragic that your body goes into somewhat of a shock. Trust me, I did my share of crying but felt like I was just going through the motions. I kinda felt like I was on a cloud and was just floating around and listening to people tell me how sorry they were and that there were praying for us. I truly appreciated every one's sincerity but couldn't tell you who came to my dad's funeral. I know that we hugged over a thousand people that came to pay their respects. Seeing the hundreds of people lined up to speak to us and remember my dad did put joy into my broken heart. I had a sense of pride knowing that my dad had played an important role in all of these people's lives. I had no idea that he had such an impact on so many people. I had peace that he had a good life on earth and is now in the presence of the King.