Banjo, thank you for your post. I am reminded of the bravest person I have personally known, my oldest brother, Capt Harold Paul Silver, who served in Vietnam from '67 thru '69. He was stationed at Bien Hoa. He died 25 years ago of complications due to his exposure to Agent Orange. That's what his VA doctor put on his death certificate, despite being told not to.
Hal came back from the war, resumed his life, and rarely spoke about his experiences there. He set up Mary Kay Cosmetics' western operations and did such a good job of it that he was transferred to Dallas where he moved rapidly up the ladder. He had a great marriage, financial success, what many would consider a model life.
Then, one day while on his way to a board meeting, he had a seizure which was followed by several others. A mass was discovered under his brain but it hadn't coalesced enough to make surgery possible and it was months before his team felt that surgery was possible. But they also felt that his odds of surviving were small. He decided to have the surgery. Fortunately, the position of the tumor wasn't centered under his brain but off to one side and they were able to remove it with clean margins.
An avid athlete who loved to play football, baseball, basketball and to surf, the operation left him unable to walk. And equally avid and congenial conversationalist, the surgery left Hal unable to speak.
But Hal refused to give in and undertook a strenuous course of physical therapy that restored his ability to walk and he was able to learn to speak again.
The strain of all of this took its toll on his marriage, but he remained good friends with Lynn for the rest of his life. Mary Kay wanted to keep him on payroll, but Hal didn't want charity and he tried to make a go of it with a couple of other companies before he decided that his impairment made it impossible to continue to meet the demands of business.
Through all of this, and in the years that stretched ahead, filled with difficulties and ailments, he never lost his basically optimistic view of life. Hal saw each day as a gift, something to be enjoyed regardless of conditions. Hal felt that complaining wasted the gift, and he made the most of each and every day. Hal never complained about the hand that he had been dealt. There was no good purpose in doing so.
I once asked him how he managed it. Hal's response was simple. Happiness was a choice, and he chose happiness. Hal looked forward to every day and found joy in a drive along the coast highway in his rag top, capped by a meal at his favorite greasy spoon. Hal enjoyed life on life's terms.
I once joked with him that if he could find a way to bottle what he had, he would become the richest man on earth. He replied that he was the richest man on earth and had all that he needed.
And that's why Hal remains for me the bravest person I've ever known, and why I'm grateful for this opportunity to tell a bit of his story.
Hal came back from the war, resumed his life, and rarely spoke about his experiences there. He set up Mary Kay Cosmetics' western operations and did such a good job of it that he was transferred to Dallas where he moved rapidly up the ladder. He had a great marriage, financial success, what many would consider a model life.
Then, one day while on his way to a board meeting, he had a seizure which was followed by several others. A mass was discovered under his brain but it hadn't coalesced enough to make surgery possible and it was months before his team felt that surgery was possible. But they also felt that his odds of surviving were small. He decided to have the surgery. Fortunately, the position of the tumor wasn't centered under his brain but off to one side and they were able to remove it with clean margins.
An avid athlete who loved to play football, baseball, basketball and to surf, the operation left him unable to walk. And equally avid and congenial conversationalist, the surgery left Hal unable to speak.
But Hal refused to give in and undertook a strenuous course of physical therapy that restored his ability to walk and he was able to learn to speak again.
The strain of all of this took its toll on his marriage, but he remained good friends with Lynn for the rest of his life. Mary Kay wanted to keep him on payroll, but Hal didn't want charity and he tried to make a go of it with a couple of other companies before he decided that his impairment made it impossible to continue to meet the demands of business.
Through all of this, and in the years that stretched ahead, filled with difficulties and ailments, he never lost his basically optimistic view of life. Hal saw each day as a gift, something to be enjoyed regardless of conditions. Hal felt that complaining wasted the gift, and he made the most of each and every day. Hal never complained about the hand that he had been dealt. There was no good purpose in doing so.
I once asked him how he managed it. Hal's response was simple. Happiness was a choice, and he chose happiness. Hal looked forward to every day and found joy in a drive along the coast highway in his rag top, capped by a meal at his favorite greasy spoon. Hal enjoyed life on life's terms.
I once joked with him that if he could find a way to bottle what he had, he would become the richest man on earth. He replied that he was the richest man on earth and had all that he needed.
And that's why Hal remains for me the bravest person I've ever known, and why I'm grateful for this opportunity to tell a bit of his story.
