U.S. Marine Did Not Die Alone

Dear Mr. Etherington,

I am writing to "The Courier" to clarify an article that you, Mr. Etherington wrote, which was published on Feb. 12, 2020, entitled "U.S. Marine Laid To Rest In Hinsdale."

Mr. Etherington, I want to assure you that this "U.S. Marine," Bruce Powers, did NOT die alone. The reason I can assure You he was not alone, is because I was the nurse holding his hand and assuring him I would not leave him alone, while the song "A Better Man" by Clint Black was playing in the background, as he passed away. Mr. Etherington, I told Bruce many things with tears in my eyes those last few minutes; I let him know that his daughters had called from California and wanted me to let him know that they loved him, I told him he had put up a good fight, I told him not to be afraid that God was waiting for him and that I wasn't going to go anywhere; and most importantly I thanked him for his service. Nobody at Valley View Home "dies alone" if we can help it.

Mr. Etherington, when residents are admitted into LTC (long-term care) staff become "family." I know this because I have been in LTC for almost 40 years. We do our best to ensure all residents feel safe, comfortable, and loved, especially their last moments on earth. We hold hands, wipe tears, give and get hugs, provide comfort when their "real" families aren't available and let them pass with dignity, and grace, and if at all possible never alone while they are passing away.

Mr. Etherington, I am sure that you did not mean to intentionally offend anyone in your article, but I felt compelled to make sure that you knew that Bruce did not die alone.

Thank you for your time,

Cindy Gidlewski, RN