A Mothers Story.. By Maxine Gress
Deon was very smart, he loved hanging out with the adults and he asked more questions than "carter has pills " that is what I always told him and a lot of those answers were not for "little pictures with big ears".
He didn't like playing with the other children because he would get coughing spasms until he turned red and the kids would tease him. I would tell him to go out and play with the kids, he would argue but finally go, I would look out the window and see him sitting Dobbie Gillis style on the big rock in our front yard, he would stay there as long as he could stand it and then come back in the house, and tag along after me asking questions.
He was articulate about his looks, always had to use whatever the hair cream that was in at that time, and his hair had to be perfectly combed, he carried a small comb in his back pocket that he used frequently throughout the day. He loved cars and knew most makes, he referred to large tire's as "big meats".
The funniest thing I remember that he said was when I was towing your dads '39 Ford during a move. Grandma, Grandpa and Mom were in the car, Deon was standing between Mom and Grandma in the back seat, as I turned the corner I cut the wheels to much and had to back up, Deon at about age 2.5 looked back at the ford and yelled "back up you jackass". Grandpa looked at me and said where did he learn that kind of language (we new it was from Grandma)? The scariest time other than at the end was about the same time, I was driving Grandpa's old Cadillac you were in a bassinet and when I made a left turn from a stop sign, Deon fell out of the car. I took him to emergency and he was fine but that was scary.
He hated his therapy and I didn't really know that he would live such a short life until that last year, almost in the final month, no doctor really explained to me how quickly he would go. Kaiser in the final days let him down. His Doctor was away and the Doctor that admitted him did not order his medication and I found out a few days later that the therapist was not giving him his treatment (he fought her and she didn't have time to fight him, I could come in and give it if I wanted) at which time I came to the hospital four times a day to administer him the therapy. (remember, I was young and dumb and in shock). She could never do that today. I am sure that the combination of those two things helped speed up his time. But I watched him and I knew in my heart that he was tired and ready to go home to the Lord.
Deon loved you and Stacy very much and I have always believed that he is with all of us even today. The things written here are what I remember most about your brother. I felt the need to share all of this with you and I will send it to Stacy as well. I want you both to know him a little better. Love, Mom.....
A Brothers Recollection.. By Ty Moore
In 1969 Deon
passed due to
complications of
Cystic Fibrosis,
he was almost 7
years old. I was
his younger
brother at 5
years and only
recall one
memory of him,
it was in a
oxygen tent with
a small toy, (a
car from the TV
series the
Banana Splits)
he handed me the
toy and told me
how much he
loved me, I
didn't realize
that it would be
the
last interaction
I would have
with him before
he died. Since
that date I have
learned that we
have lost many
relatives to the
same fatal CF
gene! We use
this site to
benefit other
families that
have been
stricken by CF.
CF survivors now
live to their
late 30's and
beyond with
treatment funded
by CFF through
donations like
these.
We share these
stories because
its important to
focus our
efforts on the
children and
families
effected by CF,
if you would
like to learn
more about CF
please visit
www.CFF.org.
If you would
like to make a
donation and/or
buy a piece of
baseball
memorabilia see
our
CFF Items Page,
100% of the
money received
is given to CFF.
Garrett (my
awesome son, and
healthy as can
be) with Mariner
Outfielder
Jeremy Reed!
