written by Robin Crane
The story of his life unfolded in thick medical charts, becoming a diabetic when he was only a baby. I, a mother of healthy children, squirm at the idea of delivering insulin to his precious tender skin and throughout his whole life. He was 9 years older then me; so many memories are of his teenage years. Back then Jody looked so much like John Denver and even sang like him. Days spent working on his VW bug and building remote control airplanes. As an adult Jody made his life in Wichita Falls, Texas. He was very involved in the study of doctrine and had a strong belief in God. He knew his time spent in this body was just a course and soon he would complete it and be richly rewarded on the other side.
Jody remained strong in mind. He managed to keep an apartment, pay bills and deal with his medical problems on his own. On Thursday night Mark, mom and myself were lucky to spend time talking with Jody, late into the night. We laughed at remembering old times; stunts he and Mark had pulled. I listened quietly to my brothers replaying the old stories for the last time.
The doctor told us the end was near, but we had heard that before. We tried to carry on and just be there. Until the end, I was blind to the fact that Jody was a true soldier. He faced assault after assault against his body, each war attacking another organ. Through it all, years of it, he fought long and hard, silently..... never complaining.
Friday night I thought if we prayed hard enough we could keep him here longer but as I looked over at his broken, worn out body, I asked God to take him. I knew He would and He did.
Jody Ray French
January 10, 1957
May 16, 1998
Little did I know as I wrote this nearly 3 years ago that my reference to "healthy children" would be gone.
My 10-year-old son was diagnosed June 23, 2000.
Robin Crane