READERS WHO WRITE: Seeing life through Danny’s eyes
Published 6:00 am Sunday, November 12, 2023
- Readers Who Write
Editor’s note: This letter was written nearly five years ago after the death of Sue Harrison’s husband. She was encouraged to write it so the person who received his corneas would know how wonderfully his eyesight had served him. Harrison said she hopes it will encourage people to consider the gift of sight by being a donor.
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Dear Transplant Recipient,
We are so grateful that you will benefit from the donation of our loved one’s corneas. We thought you might like to know a little about how his eyes served him throughout his life.
His name was Danny, named after his mother’s favorite song, “Danny Boy.” His big brown eyes served him well. Growing up with his three brothers in a small town, he loved exploring the gulches and trails around his home. He fished down at the docks and hopped on and off the boxcars as they slowly rolled through town. As a teenager, he was intrigued by cars and worked at his dad’s gas station.
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He was in the Navy aboard the aircraft carrier USS Constellation and talked about going up on the flight deck to watch the planes land and “catch the hook.” He later was inspired to get his pilot’s license and flew his own plane and loved the freedom and the bird’s eye view!
Danny was a motorcycle rider and enjoyed working on his dirt bikes and street bikes. He liked nothing better than exploring the trails and roads near and far. His latest interest was restoring motorcycles. He also restored a number of classic cars.
He was a millwright and understood the importance of getting things precise, especially when working on his bikes and cars. He could repair anything mechanical and understood how machines worked. He had such a good eye for a straight line that I always had him cut my hair. He did a better job than any hair stylist!
He appreciated natural beauty and especially enjoyed trips to the coast, the San Juan Islands, Hells Canyon and fishing trips on the Rogue River.
One of his favorite trips was to Moab, Utah, to see the spectacular rock formations, the arches and the beautiful colors of the unusual landscape. A trip to the Grand Canyon and later, a trip to Arizona to explore the Navajo Nation and all the Native American cultural sites, captured his interest in Native American art and ancient history. The slot canyons with their stunning colors and lovely formations was something we talked about doing again.
We followed the Lewis and Clark trail down the Columbia River and became interested in the history of the region. A pioneer museum in Baker City was especially captivating. He always enjoyed visiting museums and looking at all the fascinating exhibits. We hope you will be lucky enough to see some of these places.
All these trips were taken in our RV, which he expertly drove on narrow mountain roads as well as on the freeways. When we were in Las Vegas, he fulfilled his dream of driving a race car around the motor speedway. He was a big NASCAR fan, so this was a thrill for him. He was an excellent driver but didn’t like to go slow! His vision served him well whether driving a car, RV or motorcycle.
Our most recent trip was to the Oregon Coast to see the Christmas lights at Shore Acres and at the Azalea Park in Brookings. We had heard that they were a sight to behold and as we walked through the acres of lights, we were amazed. The shapes and colors truly were a feast for the eyes and made that last Christmas and New Year’s together an unforgettable one.
In the last few years, Danny became a prolific reader and could be found with a good novel in his hand, whether in his recliner or relaxing in the RV or out in a camp chair. His eyes got quite a workout pouring over all those words! He also enjoyed watching TV, especially football, NASCAR races and golf. He also liked the TV shows “NCIS,” “American Pickers,” and “Madam Secretary.”
Family is what really lit up Danny’s eyes. His beautiful daughter stole his heart and then along came a son. He was a proud father as he watched them grow and learn, graduate from college and achieve success. Nine years ago, he became Papa to our twin grandchildren. His heart was full and life was renewed. They gave him such pleasure and he loved seeing them learn and play. When they would walk through the door and say “Where’s Papa?” his eyes would gleam with joy.
It is our hope that your restored vision will bring you wonderful pleasures to see for the rest of your life. On behalf of Danny, we wish you the very best and a lifetime appreciating life’s beauty.
— The Harrison Family
SEND US YOUR COPY So you say you want to write? Go for it. Send us 500 or so words of scintillating copy. Make it funny. Make it poignant. Make it count. Make it any way you want. Just don’t cuss. Don’t be boring. And have a point. If we like it, we’ll run it. Email submissions to community@rv-times.com. Put “Readers Who Write” in the subject line, and tell us the city where you live.
So you say you want to write?
Go for it.
Send us 500 or so words of scintillating copy. Make it funny. Make it poignant. Make it count. Make it any way you want.
Just don’t cuss. Don’t be boring. And have a point.
If we like it, we’ll run it.
Email submissions to community@rv-times.com. Put “Readers Who Write” in the subject line, and tell us the city where you live.