[SFDXA] Fwd: April 1st Good Morning Message from Melanie

Wed Apr 1 09:03:03 EDT 2020

About Don,
kindest regards
Kai, KE4PT

-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: 	April 1st Good Morning Message from Melanie
Date: 	Wed, 1 Apr 2020 11:41:53 +0000
From: 	Gold Coast ARA <earthymel1950 at gmail.com>
Reply-To: 	earthymel1950 at gmail.com
To: 	k.siwiak at ieee.org

April 1st Good Morning Message from Melanie
View this email in your browser 
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Hello Kai,

*_Good Morning GCARA!!_*

I am so happy that I woke up today, feeling refreshed and happy and content with 
my life. I hope that all of you share similar feelings.

I wanted to update people on Hope Smith’s (W3ANE) status. She is doing well and 
has achieved a bit of closure once she was able to view Don’s body at the 
funeral home. His countenance was one of peacefulness and Hope stated that he 
looked like “he was asleep”.  It was true. His body was in a natural state, not 
embalmed or with make up on or any embellishment done. His face was meticulously 
clean, his beard and mustache immaculately trimmed and clean, his hair parted 
and combed in his natural way of doing it. He looked relieved in my opinion of 
trying to battle with life and some of the disturbing elements of his illness. 
I, myself, felt that I was viewing the face of an angelic person, so innocent 
and trusting.

I felt privileged to share prayers with him throughout his illness and I know he 
knew that the Ham community, as well as his family and Hope, all loved him and 
cared for him as a human being. The sorrow and anguish I had been feeling about 
Hope and he being separated by the events of the Corona Virus Shelter in Place 
orders and the fact that Hope was not able to share is last breaths, 
disappeared. I KNOW someone in the health care facility where he died, must have 
taken this man’s hand and held it in a show of love and compassion for his 
circumstances.

I know that many of us who knew him would have done so and we are all human beings.

Don left a lot of radio parts and equipment in his trailer and thanks to the 
efforts of Roy Neiman, Kenny Hollenbeck and their wives, as well as Carol 
Sjursen, Jeff Stahl, Jerry Deitch and a few others who helped in the attempts to 
withdraw anything of value, we have quite a surplus of ham goods. Don’s trailer 
was unlocked and seemingly untouched by other of mal intent. The volunteer work 
party gathered what seemed most valuable, like coins, money caches that Don had 
stored in various places as well as important documents that belonged to Hope 
and Don, and turned all over to Hope whenever possible or to their bank account 
or Hope’s lawyer. Hope desires that we sell Don’s radio equipment for as much as 
it will be worth and she intends to live on the proceeds. In turn, many hams 
will share a piece of Don’s passion for amateur radio. May he rest in peace.

Hope is encouraged by all of the cards and letters coming her way by the people 
who love both Don and Hope. If you sent a prayer card, or offered prayers in 
Don’s illness, she wants to thank you all so much. One thing is evident in all 
of this to me, Don and Hope touched many people in their lives. Friends abound 
all along the Eastern seaboard and thanks to his faithful service as a worker 
for the ARRL and his QSL card collecting efforts, Don has amassed a lot of 
goodwill from his life and his passing. Many of his cohorts from up North have 
called me to share their memories and express gratitude for our club members for 
doing our best for Don, both in life and in death. I echo that sentiment. Thank 
all of you who cherished and respected Don in his life. It is a fitting tribute 
to a life well lived in Amateur radio practice. He was a “gentleman’s gentleman” 
and did the very best he could throughout his life. Well done, good and faithful 
servant.

For those who wish to directly help Hope, you can add minutes to her phone if 
you would like. It can be as few as 10 minutes or as many as you want to add. I 
added an hour early on but cannot support this practice because of limited 
income resources but have been able to encourage others to do so in my stead. 
The church in Davie where Don and Hope faithfully attended, have been a big help.

Should you wish to contribute minutes to Hope’s phone NOW, kindly call ATT @ 
800-901-9878. It is an automated system and Hope’s number to which you want to 
apply the minutes is: 954-647-5713. The pin number they will ask for is 5713. 
You can just plug in your credit card info and the amount you choose will be 
charged to your card. Hope thanks you in advance for any amount you choose to 
donate on her behalf. It goes a long way to help her communicate with her loved 
ones and friends as she processes her grieving of Don. This COVID-19 isolation 
had come at a very unfortunate time for Don and Hope and it was a helpless 
feeling for her not to be able to touch Don physically to comfort him as he lay 
ill. Thank you for your generosity and consideration in this matter.

I hope that my review of the Hope and Don story brings people comfort in the 
knowledge that people are working on Hope’s behalf and trying to help her in her 
time of need. She has a great deal many decisions to make for her future and she 
appreciates your prayers. Thank you all for your support and words of encouragement.

Melanie Fernandez, KJ4VCT

Melanie Fernandez, KJ4VCT
President, Gold Coast Amateur Radio Association
Mobile: 954-560-3706
eMail: earthymel1950 at gmail.com <mailto:earthymel1950 at gmail.com>
Website: www.W4BUG.org 
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