In a heart-warming story, a dedicated hospice staff made sure one of their patients got his final wish: to return to the woods one last time.
Ed, a resident at a hospice in Kirkland, Washington, was a former forest ranger who “lived for the outdoors.” In his final years, however, he has found himself limited to indoor environments due to the difficulty of transporting him safely.
Earlier this year, Ed confided to Hospice Chaplain Curt Huber his wish to be outdoors one more time. The wish presented some formidable logistical challenges, but Huber was up to the task. He wasted no time contacting the Snohomish County Fire District, whose staff readily agreed to overcome the obstacles in granting Ed’s wish.
With the help of an EMS vehicle and fire truck, they transported Ed and his support staff up and down the nature trails of Meadowvale Beach Park for one memorable afternoon for all involved. Ed was able to see, touch, and smell the splendor of the forest one more time.
Ed was understandably delighted at the gift, and when the moving story was posted on Facebook in early June and has since racked up over 30,000 likes. We salute Curt Huber and the passionate and dedicated staff for going above and beyond the call of duty, and reminding us all to enjoy this beautiful planet as much as we can.
