In February of this month I did a dermatology rotation at at clinic in Cedar. After a few days of getting to know each other I was able to joke around with the physicians, nurses, and receptionists and really enjoyed going into the clinic each day. In this particular office there were two dermatologists and a Physician's Assistant so even though they travel throughout Southern Utah, Nevada, and Arizona to various clinics they always have someone stay behind to keep the clinic in Cedar open. When I finished that month Dr Ellsworth said; "Jake I look forward to working with you when you get back in a few years, if I last that long".
Last Saturday while I was working on my shed outside I received information through a voicemail that the plane carrying Dr Ellsworth and many of his staff had gone down outside of Moab, Utah and all had died.
I knew 7 of the 10 people on this plane and though they were not a large part of my life I do miss them. I don't know exactly what kind of a grief reaction I should be going through, but it is different than anything I have ever experienced. My heart goes out to the families of these individuals.
I have thought a lot about how this tragedy has affected my home town and how this will be one of those days that we in Cedar will remember forever. We see tragedies on the news every day and yet it's just a part of life until it becomes intimate and then the world changes. Some of you may have experienced that with the events of Sep 11. I thought I did too, but it didn't feel like this does.
I'm grateful for my knowledge of eternal families and the Gospel of Jesus Christ for I find a great deal of comfort there. For any of you who don't share my beliefs how do you deal with these tragedies, and where do you find comfort?
2 comments:
I am very sorry to hear of this great loss. i will be sure to include their families in my prayers.
Sept. 11 was very hard for me, as my husband is a firefighter as well. 343 of them lost their lives that day. A couple of years earlier, we went for lunch in those towers. It still comes back to me every year.
I will add my testimony to yours, that I am very grateful that I have the opportunity to be with my family in the next life, and that there is no sin too large, and no grief so deep that the Savior's Atonement can not reach it. We really are never alone.
Love you guys.
I definitely agree with you about the comfort the gospel brings. I went to Dr. Ellsworth clear back when I was a teenager and in college and always respected him, but didn't know him beyond a couple times in the office, and I didn't know anyone else, but I still felt very sad about this. But knowing the faith of all the families and the goodness of the people involved, I felt a lot of peace.
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