Pat had already lost her first son. Now her second son, suffering from Muscular Dystrophy, was lying in a hospital bed knocking at death's door. A friend, at a loss for what to say or how to comfort Pat calmly said "So I suppose you'll quit looking for a cure now."

Pat didn't answer.

She walked into her son's room and noticed he was obviously agitated. He couldn't speak and could only barely move his body or hands. But he managed to scribble what he HAD to communicate to his mother. Two words - simply "help someone."

Knowing the anniversary of his death was approaching, Sue Mahlock wrote this poem in memory of him, and in memory of his final message. To find out more about MS, send her a note. In the meantime, say a prayer for Pat as the anniversary of her second son's death approaches.

With Herculean effort, he scribbled,
"Help someone",
Then his last breath left his body
and there was darkness.

He left this world with the HOPE that
someone else would be saved, that
someone would be helped.

His mother went on strong as His will,
A will to help, a will to live.

He joined another there
the one he called "Brother'.
The same fate, same mother,
father, sisters, end.

"Hallowed be Thy name",
they told me, "Thy will be done".
If that they say is true,
Thy will is NOT done, not finished yet.

There is a larger purpose in this,
they call it LIFE.
He knew it, Patrick did.
"Help someone".

Nell knew it...Christopher, Kathy, and Pat.
A few others.
Many more didn't...
didn't have clue.

I've been searching, searching my
whole life. Blessed without knowing it -
"Charmed life" I used to say.

But when you find it, you know it.
Not love, but your heart, your God,
your PURPOSE.
Not riches, not a new career or home,
but someone to help.

He said "the meek shall inherit the earth"
but can the strong
change it, so that the meek,
the children, have a chance to do the same?

They'll do it....do it from the
other side, some of them.
THEY inspire me, change me,
make me find a way.

Someone, maybe MY son
will be helped. Do you think I am selfish?
So do I, you see
when I help someone
I'm really helping me.

But that's okay
it's in the plan too.
We've got to do something,
ME AND YOU.

It's not a ballad,
it's not a story,
it really happened
to my friend.

The problem is, it's not stopping
it goes on without warning
and it's a killer, I'm told.
I didn't know til it was mine to hold.

Can you help us,
in some little way?
Two fish fed 5,000,
five loaves sustained many.

And so it goes, I am alone
but really am not.
There are many out there
who can comprehend our spot,
Our plea, our breath, our last one, PLEASE

Help someone.


REFRAIN FOR SONG:

Go on and help someone
and if you try
You'll know it's right
Don't have to tell you why.

Go on and help someone
And if you do
you'll find just ONE
can make a difference too.

----Sue Mahlock
summer 1996

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