My mother will not see her last March Madness, as the cancer she has been dealing with since January is slowly ending her life today.
She rebounded overnight and had a few more final conversations with family so far today. My brother was fortunate to talk with her this morning, since he wasn't yesterday.
On Wednesday, during his PC, Kirk Ferentz didn't look well, in sharp contrast to Tuesday's PC.
The stress of 2020 sure showed on Wednesday. He was not asymptomatic during the PC, as compared to today's report. Sadly, he has tested positive for covid-19 virus on Thursday. My sister in-law received her first dose of the vaccine yesterday. No side effects.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Coach Ferentz, his family and the Hawkeye community today. 🙏🏻🙏🏻
Forty years ago was the eve of my first Rose Bowl season with my mother. She would go to three of them under Coach Hayden Fry, who died a year ago yesterday.
Mom and Hayden were born the same year. She in Ohio. Hayden in Texas, as you certainly all know. Iowa City was may grandmother's birth home though. Her parents immigrated to Iowa post-Civil War.
The memories of traveling to root on the Hawkeyes near and far have been grand over the near 50 years, since that first game in FXL's first season, in West Lafayette, in 1971.
My brother and father were with me. My sister was a U of I student at the time.
Hawkeye Football brings back so many memories of times with my mother. She and I would often make token bets on various aspects of the game. She loved March Madness up until 2019.
This year, she was dealing with a return of cancer. This time it was pancreatic cancer, so she wasn't herself back in March. Recently, she reflected on 2020 and missing March Madness this season.
Well, thank you for embellishing my personal reflection on Life and my mother, family.
Next year, we will celebrate the 40th anniversary of our first Rose Bowl season for me and my family. In 2015, it was the first season without dad. Now, we approach 2021, and mom appears ready to join her husband of 65+ years.
My dad and mom loved life around the Hawkeyes. They held season tickets over the years for football, basketball and wrestling. My wife mentioned recently, she really enjoyed the few moments, mom and dad didn't use their wrestling tickets.
"FEW" moment indeed. Our first game together, my future wife and I was that 1985 game with Michigan. I was looking forward to Saturday, in so many ways.
Life has been tested for many of us in 2020. We have witnessed people pass due to a variety reasons. I hope and pray for those among the Hawkeye family, including coach.
Let me be the first to wish you and yours a Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas and/or Season's Greetings.
peace
