Thursday, January 15, 2009

--30--

It was just one year ago that I published an article about a local man coping with cancer ... today, I must write the closing paragraph to that story.

I learned Wednesday that Eric Hanson has passed away in Houston. A native Midlander and a second-generation oil-and-gas professional, Eric was also waging an ongoing and courageous battle with cancer. It was in that capacity that I interviewed him in January, 2009, for an article in Community Healthlink magazine about cancer, its diagnosis and treatment - and it was through that contact that I became better-acquainted with someone I had known only casually, through church and through our children ... in fact, the interview was conducted in my truck, as he and I were waiting for our kids to return from a church youth ski trip.

I'm glad I got to know Eric better ... and I'd bet just about everyone who knew him would say the same thing. Eric was one of the good guys ... active in his family, his profession and his community. Needess to say, we often thought of ways we might lift his spirits ... but it was often Eric who lifted ours! My interview with Eric not only looked back on the diagnosis and treatment of his cancer, it also looked ahead ... as far as I know, Eric never stopped looking ahead.

--30--

2 comments:

Pancho said...

I got to know Eric in the last several years through tennis. He and his family are great people and I'm deeply saddened to hear this news.

Jeff said...

Thanks for stopping in, Wallace, and foe sharing your thoughts. You and I are in complete agreement.