Hospice Patient Lives his Dream

From second wind dreams 02-28-2010 Gene Fox at the Cowboy Church in Hayesville, NC on February 28th, 2010   Dreams, Trains, Music and Cures Hayesville, NC - On February 28th Hiawassee resident, Gene Fox, was surrounded by friends and family from all over North Georgia in a little church in Hayesville, NC known as the Cowboy Church.  Gene is the recipient of a Second Wind Dream sponsored by Regency Hospice.  “Every month I interview one of our patients and find out if they have any unresolved wishes or dreams,” says Linda Tatum, social worker with Regency Hospice.  “I compile the interviews and our Second Wind Dreams board determines how we can make the dream come true.” Gene’s dream as a boy was to be a train conductor and now in physical decline he expresses only a wish to be a part of 2 things; a cure for cancer and to hear good gospel music. Gene’s dream of being a conductor was fulfilled as Suzanne Repp, bereavement coordinator with Regency Hospice placed a new conductor’s hat, courtesy of Blue Ridge Scenic Railway out of Blue Ridge, GA  on Gene’s head and announced the offer from the BSR to let him ride free of charge on the train when trips begin in mid-March.  Another gift was a book of train lore and songs.  The audience stood and saluted the smiling conductor. The church band played a medley of I’ll Fly Away and I Saw the Light to an upbeat tempo that had the whole church tapping toes and clapping hands and finally exploding into a full stance of  celebration of the life of the guest of honor. Gene was smiling and nodding to his wife, Shirley, displaying his contentment with the magical moment Lori Burks represented the American Cancer Society in accepting a donation made by the Second Wind Dreams Board in Gene’s honor as his contribution to researching a cure for cancer. To cheers and tears of onlookers a man who currently endures physical weakness, showed the crowd his spiritual strength as he took his place on stage to once again play the guitar with his church band family. The music flowed from the guitar Gene played as the crowd marveled at his talent.  While waiting for him to come down from the stage, Gene was heard to say, “I think I have one more in me”.  And the band played on. Julia Vereb, Executive Director at Regency brought the Second Wind Dreams program to Regency Hospice in 2009.  The mission of the program is to grant a dream to those living in eldercare communities or in hospice care. Currently, Regency is the only hospice in Northeast Georgia participating in the SWD program.

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