Page 251 - The Exceptional Harley Fetterman

THE EXCEPTIONAL HARLEY FETTERMAN

A third group, more experienced with loss than the others, felt this
deep, searing pain as déjà vu. Parents of kids who had previously died
of cancer had walked this walk before—though it was no easier to
experience again. These parents could just lightly touch Harley's
parents and glance in their eyes to share the deepest sadness and pain
that would dwell in their hearts forever. This sharing ignited a feeling
of tragedy with a realization that parents would continue to lose their
children to cancer forward on into the future. Their membership in a
fraternity of grieving cancer-loss parents would continue with part of
their own existence cut forever from their hearts with such immense
scarring as they attempt to somehow heal from this tragedy.

Everyone at Harley's funeral felt the deep loss present in the room
filled with sorrowful thoughts as they attempted to somehow separate
this immense grief from deep, fulfilling memories of Harley. How
could they find a way to move away from such pain, yet never forget
one moment of joy they felt in their life-enhancing experiences with
Harley? Everyone seemed to bond together over deep commitment to
never forget Harley. As proof, they would renew their own efforts to
match his devotion and service to his causes.

Harley's family members, emotionally and physically exhausted
from this ongoing ordeal, witnessed their own feelings of profound
loss mirrored within the loneliness expressed in the faces of the
funeral attendees. The family realized the progressing loss that they
had personally walked through each day since Harley's passing was
now magnified beyond calculation in this funeral processional
gathering.
The “Harley Memorial” experience would become deeply etched
in everyone's life experiences. Attendees found it difficult to leave the
service and spent lingering time touching Harley's personal
collections on display beneath his portrait. From a distance, his eyes
seemed to look down on everyone with love and fellowship. People
seemed to find some comfort in sharing their thoughts with each other
after the service. Many lingered on, seemingly unable to move on
with life following such a great loss.

Following the service, Beth commented, “The service was so
Harley and I felt good afterwards. I know he was there and loving

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