My brother was born at seven months. I still remember my horror as a four year old when they introduced me to this chicken embryo-like creature whose ears were still unformed and who cried constantly. He was not the baby doll companion they had promised me. Growing up, he had multiple health problems – he had trouble hearing, he had allergies, and probably most significant was he had very poor eyesight. Growing up, we were very close, but very different. I was the social one, always off with friends, while he was a bookworm, preferring to read and do science experiments in his room. After high school he went on to college and graduated with a degree in chemistry. He developed rheumatoid arthritis and his eyesight worsened as he grew older. After a painful engagement breakup he took a trip to Arizona in the early 80’s. After a short stay, he decided the climate was much better for the arthritis, so two weeks later he packed up his meager belongings and moved away. Working various jobs to make ends meet, he ended up as a landscaper and a caretaker to a wealthy elderly woman. One night after he crawled into bed he was bitten by a scorpion, whereafter he drove himself to the hospital to be treated. Being Ed, he had the foresight to whack the scorpion dead to ensure no future encounter. Taking it a step further, he mailed it to my parents so they could see for themselves. Not what they were expecting in the mail. His life in Arizona was diverse and interesting – never staying in the same place for too long. The arthritis worsened over time to the point where he could barely walk and his feet were crippled with bent toes which were very painful. That summer he came back to NH for treatment. They broke all of his toes and re-set the bones straight, and he stayed long enough to recover before heading back out west. The next few years were filled with more indecision as he looked for his calling. At some point he decided to pursue the Franciscan way of life. Since he already lived the lifestyle of simplicity and near poverty, this was not a real lifestyle change. He earned a degree in theology, and spent about 8 months as a missionary in Guatemala – not the safest place to be. Sometimes we did not hear from him for long stretches of time. In 1995 he was ordained as a Franciscan brother. My mother and I went to visit him at that time, and although he reassured us he was safe where he lived in Las Vegas, we noticed that the “compound” where he lived was surrounded by iron fencing as he and the other brothers were the only Caucasians in the area. At night we could hear gunshots in the alley. Ed stayed on there for another couple of years, but he was not being fulfilled with this calling, so he eventually left the monastery and the brotherhood. Again, he moved from place to place – LA, Oregon, and I can’t remember where else. He decided to go back to school and earned a master’s degree in psychology. All the while, his arthritis and his eyesight worsened quite a lot. He was able to get medication for the arthritis in the form of injections he could give himself, but the eyesight became a source of worry of not if, but when he would go blind. He ended up getting a job in Las Vegas once again, this time as a drug and alcohol counselor, and a part time teacher. This period of his life was a dark time, as he had no other life but work. He often would find it difficult not to absorb the desperation of those he counseled, and went home to an empty run down apartment. He was nearly blind by that time, and it was a matter of safety that the state of Nevada had to take his drivers license, leaving him to his own devices to bet back and forth to work, to the grocery store and doctors appointments, etc. His job was demanding, but it was his life. In late 2015 he called to tell me he was being released from his position. It was decided that his disabilities were making him unfit to perform his work duties. He had repeatedly requested equipment that would allow him to transcribe notes, etc verbally so that he wouldn’t need to use a regular computer, but his requests were refused. Instead he was terminated. My sister and I decided in our great wisdom that he should come back to NH. We would find him a place to live and help him get settled. But Ed had other ideas. He decided that his life was there, and somehow he would turn things around. Little did we know. Early in 2016 the entire complex he lived in was condemned with bedbugs. He had to dispose of his couch, his mattress, and many of his possessions, and was basically left homeless with a small suitcase of what was left of his life. Still, he decided to stay. For a few weeks he managed to stay night to night in hotels, but this became expensive very quickly. One of his only friends at the time connected him with Catholic Worker, a halfway house of sorts where people can stay temporarily in exchange for working there, serving meals to the homeless, doing laundry, etc. There he stayed for about 6 months until he was able to obtain permanent housing in an over 55 complex. To hear him talk about it, one might think he has a palace. He is so appreciative of all the little things most of us take for granted. As time went on, he made many friends from Catholic Worker, who have helped him feel human again. They have donated furniture and dishes, and at Christmas they put up a little tree for him. Although he was too blind to see the tree, he could see the lights. As his blindness became more debilitating, he decided it was time to learn Braille. He began taking classes, and became acquainted with Angela’s House, a training center in Las Vegas teaching life skills to the blind. Through Angela’s House, he formed many more friendships, and has found his purpose in life, which is as it has always been – teaching and helping others. One day a week he spends with a terminally ill woman whose caretaker is also blind. One day he spends at Catholic Worker doing laundry for the homeless. Many days he goes to work on “the line” which is an empty lot where workers go to feed the homeless. One day he counsels people with drug and alcohol issues. He has recently become a consultant with MGM Grand . He was asked to be a spokesperson for the blind, and coordinate how MGM might become involved in helping Angela’s House, and aiding the blind community there. He has raised money and become a team leader for several vision walks in Las Vegas. His life is full and overflowing with good things and purpose. Around this time last year, Ed was diagnosed with cancer. As with everything else, he took it in stride, and dealt with it head on. 9 weeks of daily radiation followed, and as of his last checkup, his cancer is in remission.

My brother is one of a kind. He has had just about every hard knock a person can have, but not once, not ever have I heard “poor me”. He never complains. Ever. What I hear and what I see is someone who takes what he has been dealt and learns how to live with it. He has taken his blindness and turned it into a gift and a resource for others. He has taken what little he has and given it back to the homeless. I don’t tell him often enough how proud I am of him.

Here’s to you Ed.