Lost a dear Uncle this morning... February 25, 2012, 01:45:44 PM A few weeks ago my mother's brother got dizzy and fell down. He was rushed to hospital and was misdiagnosed as having something relatively minor, and sent home. He got worse over the following weeks and was rushed in again on Friday after he suddenly lost consciousness. Turns out that first time he'd had a stroke, and Friday he'd had an even bigger one. He never regained consciousness, and died this morning.He was the strongest man I had ever met, and was quite a badass in his younger days. Actually he was the town drunk and always in trouble with the law way back then.He once left a brand new car at the border at Calais, ME after a night of drinking there (American booze is much cheaper). When trying to come back into Canada the border guard stopped him and handcuffed him to himself to wait for state troopers to come to charge him with DUI. Uncle Ken knocked the guard out, dragged him into Canada, and waited for him to wake up. When he did, uncle Ken told him to remove the cuffs or else. The guard did, hightailed it back across the bridge, and Ken never returned to the USA. Another time he saw a couple of guys stop their truck in front of his house, jo out, and shoot a deer in his yard. He ran out, took their guns, beat the tar out of them, and called the ranger. Ranger came, charged the guys with poaching, and started talking with uncle Ken. He asked if he could look in Ken's barn. Ken said "I don't see why that's necessary". The ranger looked and saw three illegal deer hanging there. Uncle ken was charged with poaching too! He argued in court that since the deer were on his property they were his. Needless to say that argument didn't fly.The single most amazing thing I'd ever seen him (or anyone else for that matter) do was when I was really young. We'd gone to visit him and mom was bragging him up, telling us how strong he always was. She told us he could actually lift a car. Being a young kid, the first words I said to him when we got to his house were "can you really lift a car?!?"He said "I dunno, let's see", at which point he stood with his back facing the front of our 1977 LTD, hooked his massive paws under that big ol chrome bumper, and heaved. The front wheels cleared the ground by a few inches. He set it down again and said, simply, "Yep, guess I can". You can well imagine the impression this made on a 6 year old me!These days came to an abrupt end one evening when he was paying a friend a visit. As he was standing on the friend's doorstep, the "friend", who thought Ken was there to collect a debt, snuck out the back door and lame up behind uncle ken with a baseball bat. He swung for a homer and down Ken went. The blow would have killed a normal man, but with Ken it left him paralyzed on one side. He was never the same. One good thing came of that blow though: Uncle Ken quit drinking and became a pillar in the community. Even when he was a drunk he would give you the shirt off his back, but now he wouldn't beat you up first. RIP uncle Ken. Your memories will last forever. Quote Selected
Lost a dear Uncle this morning... Reply #1 – February 25, 2012, 01:58:35 PM Sorry to hear this Carm...my condolences to you and your family.Hope he says hey to my uncle John....another giant, bear of a man, and like yours, not above taking a deer or two out of season Quote Selected
Lost a dear Uncle this morning... Reply #2 – February 25, 2012, 02:07:52 PM sounds like a great man (great big man, too).. i'm sorry for your loss.. at least you'll always have all those good memories of him! Quote Selected
Lost a dear Uncle this morning... Reply #3 – February 25, 2012, 08:58:44 PM Sorry for your loss Carm. Our thoughts and prayers our with you. Quote Selected
Lost a dear Uncle this morning... Reply #4 – February 25, 2012, 09:23:21 PM Sorry for your loss. My condolences to you and your family. Quote Selected
Lost a dear Uncle this morning... Reply #5 – February 25, 2012, 09:27:30 PM My condolences as well... Quote Selected
Lost a dear Uncle this morning... Reply #6 – February 25, 2012, 09:37:17 PM Sounds like an awesome guy. Quote Selected
Lost a dear Uncle this morning... Reply #7 – February 25, 2012, 10:11:15 PM Reminds me of my dad. He had the same incredible strength. I had to watch him get sick and weak. On occasion he had to have help just to get off the toilet. It was a blessing when he finally passed. He was not happy not being able to do stuff and being a burdon to his family. I had done moved out of the house, so it was up to mom to help him. It was making her sick because she was just too small to be lifting on somebody so heavy. When he passed, she was only 105 pounds and he was still over 200. Although we miss him greatly, we are greatful for his passing. Sorry for your loss. Sounds like it was too soon for his passing. Quote Selected
Lost a dear Uncle this morning... Reply #8 – February 25, 2012, 11:43:42 PM Always a shame to lose a family member but even more so for someone so unique. Quote Selected
Lost a dear Uncle this morning... Reply #9 – February 25, 2012, 11:54:51 PM Sorry for your loss Carm. It's always hard to lose someone you look up to so much. I had an uncle pass away in a tractor trailer accident. He died way before he should have. He was like a brother to me and I still miss him terrably but I have many great memories of him. It sounds like you do of yours as well. Quote Selected
Lost a dear Uncle this morning... Reply #10 – February 26, 2012, 09:47:35 AM Sorry to hear that. Quote Selected
Lost a dear Uncle this morning... Reply #11 – February 26, 2012, 09:56:22 AM Sorry for your loss, sounds like an amazing man. Quote Selected
Lost a dear Uncle this morning... Reply #12 – February 26, 2012, 10:13:21 AM Sorry to hear about your uncle, sounds like he was a real character. Quote Selected
Lost a dear Uncle this morning... Reply #13 – February 26, 2012, 10:50:37 AM Sorry to hear this, i know it hurts but your uncle ken will "get well soon" in your memories. Quote Selected
Lost a dear Uncle this morning... Reply #14 – February 26, 2012, 12:56:19 PM Sorry to hear, Carm. Quote Selected
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