Best Uncle Ever
Uncle Kenny
written by niece Gwendolyn
I can't think of my childhood without visions of Uncle Kenny popping into my head. He was always there, calling me "Princess" right up into my early 20s. I used to spend a lot of time with my cousin Jaime, who is Uncle Kenny's oldest daughter. He was always happy, ready to play, willing to help. Up until I was about 12, the typical Sunday would include going to church in the morning, with me and Jaime going to Sunday School together and then sitting together on the family pew for the church service. After church, the whole family who had attended that service would go out to eat somewhere, after which I would beg to go play with Jaime. Uncle Kenny was always willing to let us play.
He showed up at the hospital for the vast majority of my surgeries until I turned 20, I think. People just don't realize what a difference it makes to get visitors when you are feeling bad and stuck in a hospital bed. It was actually a bigger effort for him, because he was very uncomfortable being around needles, etc. I look back now, and I am extremely appreciative of what he did.
I remember calling him when I was in high school, because I couldn't figure out a math problem. I think it was probably an Algebra 3 problem, but let me say this, Uncle Kenny was SMART.
He showed genuine interest in all my boyfriends, even the sketchy ones.
On one occasion, I called him and cried through an entire conversation because I had just had my heart broken by my first husband. I'm sure he felt uncomfortable with that sort of thing, but he hung on and kept talking to me. (I would actually LOVE to know what he really thought of my first husband and the end of that marriage.)
If I ever complained to him about a job, or about my severe depression, he would say that there is a silver lining to every cloud. He wanted me to find something about my job that I actually enjoyed- he said there was something good to be found in any job, or in any day. He was so totally happy and upbeat and just genuinely NICE all the time. Sometimes I would say something inflammatory to him just to get a reaction, but he always stayed chill. I know that he did not approve of some of my life choices, but he never came out and criticized me. I wish he had. I held him in such high esteem that I would've listened.
If I had ever asked him for anything, I know he would've done his best to help.
And then there's Cougar, my son. He needed open-heart surgery at 3 months old, and he ended up staying in the hospital for 8 weeks. He almost died several times, and it was very stressful for me. Well, once the surgery was over, we didn't get many visitors up in Cougar's PICU room. And HERE is why I just think Uncle Kenny was one of the best people to ever inhabit Earth: The first time he saw Cougar after surgery was actually before they had sewed his chest shut. Now, this baby was covered in tubes and wires snaking in and out of his little body, but his chest was wide open. And my Uncle Kenny stood and looked at all that horrible stuff going on with my baby. And he made several more visits while Cougar slowly recovered over the 8 weeks. Sometimes we would all eat in the hospital cafeteria and talk about Cougar, but also other topics.
When Cougar was old enough to play without hurting himself, Uncle Kenny was on it. He played with both of my boys, but Cougar really had an attachment to him, and I think it was mutual.
We didn't deserve to lose him so soon. It was not his time. He had more living to do. Everyone is still broken up about it. I'm crying right now. Grandma and my mom still cry over it. WHY did the best one of us have to be taken?
