A Name Remembered

My dad spent 11 days in the ICU before going home. While he was in there, downstairs in a small outer foyer, an artist was painting a new mural for the hospital. This is what it looked like when completely finished. Those of us going to visit dad would pass this mural every day.

One day my Grandma Thurston stopped to talk to the artist. Here is the story in her own words:

When we came through the foyer the artist was sitting back looking at his work.

I told Ken Harris the artist that my son was dying and I wish there was away to place his name on the wall. He jumped up and said that he had a small bit of paint that had not dried and that he would be happy to write it.

At first it was very obvious and I was afraid that the hospital staff my make him remove it so I wanted him to conceal it more so just the family could find it. He added leaves and color and now you do have to look for it. Laurie and her family all wept when they saw it.

Can you see his name?

Here is a sweet thank you note my grandma wrote to the artist:

Jan 18, 2011

Ken Harris,

My son Brent passed away and his funeral was yesterday. I wanted you to know what it meant to his family and loved ones that you placed his name on the hospital wall. When he was a child he was famous for writing his name on walls--much to my dismay. Today, I would love those moments to return. It will be comforting for our family to visit the hospital periodically. Thank You! Dorothy Thurston