My Radiation Friend has died

I was sad today to learn about the death of Fr. Theophile Brown:
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/timesdispatch/obituary.aspx?n=theophile-waldorf-brown&pid=155229224

http://richmondmonks.org/?p=451

John was reading the Catholic Virginian and said, "Isn't this the priest that had his radiation with you?" I looked at the picture and saw that it was indeed, Fr. Brown. He had died on Christmas Eve.

Our paths had crossed during our radiation sessions -- his were a couple of minutes before mine and we would chat as we waited for our treatments. I remember how happy he was at the end of his treatment. We ran into each other outside St. Mary's and we stopped to chat. He told me that he was done and that he was looking forward to gaining back some of the 30 pounds he had lost. We wished each other good luck and that was the last I saw of  him.

I had hoped that he had gone on to recover from his tongue and throat cancer and was gaining weight. I am deeply saddened by the fact that he lived only a few more months after that day. I hope his last days were filled with peace and acceptance that his time on this earth was coming to an end, and that his 86 years here had been well spent.

It is not always easy to keep away thoughts of what this disease really means -- it is a death sentence that hangs over you for all time, and it gets more difficult when people who have touched your life, succumb to it.

I shall pray for you tonight, Fr. Brown, and I hope that you are now with the God you served for so many decades. And I hope you spare a thought for me and a prayer that God gives me the long life he gave you.