These pictures were taken on January 14, 2013 – on the 97th birthday of my friend. I have been visiting him at the Nursing home for the last three days, this morning I went with my son and daughter to see him. He was sleeping… and I quietly whispered “Dadsky”, and he opened the eyes, stretched his hand and acknowledged, and also acknowledged Jeff and Mina. That was a blessing to me and I felt good that I was able to connect with him in his last few days.
When I lost my father in 1977, Everett and I were working in Saudi Arabia, I was in Shedgum and he was in Uthmaniyah, both were managing the finance departments of Fluor Arabia in the Eastern Province, it was a gigantic $5.3 Billion Natural Gas Liquificiation facility, the largest of its kind in the world at that time.
Caring as he is, he would ask about my family and always was lending his ears to hear me out. He became a father figure to me and has been one for the last 35 years! Even now, when he was in fairly good health a year ago, he always asked about Yasmeen, Jeff, Fern and Mina, and at times he has asked about Ella, Jeff and Mina’s mother.
He has hung the small gift I brought for him from Australia and pointed it out to me; he looks up and thinks about me. What a great soul he is! This is a great lesson we all can learn – to care about others and listen to the ones we care. I have been doing that, but I need to do more of it.
The “Mike” part of my full name; Mike Mohamed Ghouse is his gift, he affectionately called me Mike, and when I came to the United States, I made that a legal part of my name. Indeed, I was wondering on Friday night, if I would have ever come to the United States, had he not encouraged me. One day, he actually told me to go the US Embassy in Dhahran, and I asked him why, he said go there now and I did, the US Embassy handed the passport to me with a visa stamped on it, he asked me to stay at his home in Richardson and I stayed with Lily, Becky and his family for about 4-5 months before I moved out on my own. I am grateful to Lily; she fixed food for me, as I had no idea of cooking at that time.
He is in his last few days at the hospice and I have been praying for him. He is happy and ready to be beamed up. He has lived his life well, a life of caring and positive energy. I love the peaceful smile of a winner on his face. He is the first Mormon I met in life and is a great example of being a good Mormon.
Mike Ghouse
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