6 weeks ago or so, when the chaos was just beginning, my family went to take a walk with my wife's family. Her mother is suffering from mid-stage dementia, but her dad was fine. He only had a small seasonal cough. So her mom stayed at home, my wife went for an exercise walk, and my 8 year old daughter and I walked with Martin. It was a warm and beautifully clear day.
My daughter jumped into snow piles of melting snow, running here and there. And the old gentleman, cane in hand and cabbie hat snuggly fitted, walked a comfortable 6-10 feet away. We small talked and joked. We were always comfortable around each other. I always admired his quiet, steady, family-oriented way.
He had immigrated from Iran when he was 18. He arrived with almost no cash, not speaking English, but came to study Engineering in America. After the fall of the Shah, he knew he could never go home, because they would not let him leave if he did. He only saw his father one time after coming to America. He only saw his mother twice before she died.
His accent was heavy, even after years of living in America. He always wanted his kids to speak English. He was very aware of what America offered to him, and through him, to his family. His sentences took about 3 times as long to complete, and that bothered some people to have to wait. That was just Martin.
He quietly helped everyone he knew. Never with fanfare. They donated thousands to orphanages in Africa, people here in need, wherever they saw need, they gave. They never wanted credit.
He was very successful in business. His first retirement lasted 3 weeks. His second, three months. But he was always wanted, so he kept returning to work contracts for the businesses that knew his good work ethic and his moral character.
He was a tender-hearted man. He loved his children and wife beyond measure. He loved just to hear the voices of family far away. He always preferred to be in the background. The quiet, gentle man who just loved to hear the sounds of family.
I have known this family all my life. We met when I was three. Our families attended church together, but Martin was seldom there. Coming from a Muslim country, he had no real belief in the Muslim faith. But he never decided to be anything else either.
After 40 years or so of watching his wife faithfully bring their three kids to church, he decided to see what it was all about. My wife called me on the day he was baptized as a believer in Christ.
5 weeks ago, my wife went because he was having some health problems. His wife didnt know what to do. My wife drove them to the hospital, and both tested positive for the Wuhan virus.
He had always watched over her, but now he was admitted. There was no one to watch over my mother in law, who doctors said could no longer be left alone. My wife had to move into their house to watch over her mom, manage her dads care, and keep information flowing yo the family, all while not getting the virus herself. I watched over our 8 year old daughter. Over 5 weeks, we only got to see my wife 2 or 3 times at 10 feet away through windows.
He fought. He surprised the doctors and nurses caring for him over 6 weeks. Medical staff initially wrote him off because of his age, his heart condition, his othe medical issues. But he kept fighting.
The family had Zoom meetings with him three or so times that we could manage it. Each time, he seemed a little closer to heaven than here.
Tonight, my wife and I will go and be there in the room when we turn off the ventilator.
I cant tell you how much of a good and decent and kind man he was. What kind of a role model, and father, and husband. Or what kind of American. I look at him and think, Amreica--and the world--needs this kind of man: industrious, hard working, faithful, genuine, sincere, family-oriented.
But his rest is waiting. The doctors dont know if he can make it through the night.
So tonight my wife and I go to be the only family close enough in this amount of time to be by his side.
His daughter and son in law.
I hope I can be as a good a man as he is at the end of my life. I'll need to fix a lot to do it. Maybe I cant.
But I'm glad to have known the man as I did. I was blessed to hear his wisdom and share in his life. I was blessed to watch and learn from him. I was blessed to be able to take that one last walk with him.
Godspeed Martin. You beautiful, wonderful example of what it means to come to this country and make it so much better because you did.
The family you always lead and loved will always miss you.
See you soon, brother.
--A Humbled, Thankful Son-in-Law of a Very Good and True Man
My daughter jumped into snow piles of melting snow, running here and there. And the old gentleman, cane in hand and cabbie hat snuggly fitted, walked a comfortable 6-10 feet away. We small talked and joked. We were always comfortable around each other. I always admired his quiet, steady, family-oriented way.
He had immigrated from Iran when he was 18. He arrived with almost no cash, not speaking English, but came to study Engineering in America. After the fall of the Shah, he knew he could never go home, because they would not let him leave if he did. He only saw his father one time after coming to America. He only saw his mother twice before she died.
His accent was heavy, even after years of living in America. He always wanted his kids to speak English. He was very aware of what America offered to him, and through him, to his family. His sentences took about 3 times as long to complete, and that bothered some people to have to wait. That was just Martin.
He quietly helped everyone he knew. Never with fanfare. They donated thousands to orphanages in Africa, people here in need, wherever they saw need, they gave. They never wanted credit.
He was very successful in business. His first retirement lasted 3 weeks. His second, three months. But he was always wanted, so he kept returning to work contracts for the businesses that knew his good work ethic and his moral character.
He was a tender-hearted man. He loved his children and wife beyond measure. He loved just to hear the voices of family far away. He always preferred to be in the background. The quiet, gentle man who just loved to hear the sounds of family.
I have known this family all my life. We met when I was three. Our families attended church together, but Martin was seldom there. Coming from a Muslim country, he had no real belief in the Muslim faith. But he never decided to be anything else either.
After 40 years or so of watching his wife faithfully bring their three kids to church, he decided to see what it was all about. My wife called me on the day he was baptized as a believer in Christ.
5 weeks ago, my wife went because he was having some health problems. His wife didnt know what to do. My wife drove them to the hospital, and both tested positive for the Wuhan virus.
He had always watched over her, but now he was admitted. There was no one to watch over my mother in law, who doctors said could no longer be left alone. My wife had to move into their house to watch over her mom, manage her dads care, and keep information flowing yo the family, all while not getting the virus herself. I watched over our 8 year old daughter. Over 5 weeks, we only got to see my wife 2 or 3 times at 10 feet away through windows.
He fought. He surprised the doctors and nurses caring for him over 6 weeks. Medical staff initially wrote him off because of his age, his heart condition, his othe medical issues. But he kept fighting.
The family had Zoom meetings with him three or so times that we could manage it. Each time, he seemed a little closer to heaven than here.
Tonight, my wife and I will go and be there in the room when we turn off the ventilator.
I cant tell you how much of a good and decent and kind man he was. What kind of a role model, and father, and husband. Or what kind of American. I look at him and think, Amreica--and the world--needs this kind of man: industrious, hard working, faithful, genuine, sincere, family-oriented.
But his rest is waiting. The doctors dont know if he can make it through the night.
So tonight my wife and I go to be the only family close enough in this amount of time to be by his side.
His daughter and son in law.
I hope I can be as a good a man as he is at the end of my life. I'll need to fix a lot to do it. Maybe I cant.
But I'm glad to have known the man as I did. I was blessed to hear his wisdom and share in his life. I was blessed to watch and learn from him. I was blessed to be able to take that one last walk with him.
Godspeed Martin. You beautiful, wonderful example of what it means to come to this country and make it so much better because you did.
The family you always lead and loved will always miss you.
See you soon, brother.
--A Humbled, Thankful Son-in-Law of a Very Good and True Man
