Seasons Hospice in Metro Detroit went above and beyond the call of duty to grant a young father’s wish.
Scott LaPointe is a 42-year-old father with Lou Gehrig’s disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. He’s in home hospice care because his body is failing him, but he won’t fail his 11-year-old son, Alex. LaPointe wants to leave him his copy of “Esquire’s Big Black Book 2006: The Style Manual for Successful Men.”
He said it contains everything he wants Alex to know as he becomes a man -- how to tie a tie, how to be a gentleman and other lessons from dad when dad can’t be there.
“I may not be there,” LaPointe said. “He will have that piece of me and my advice to help him out.”
LaPointe’s copy was lost. His wife, Jamie, checked Amazon, eBay, she even wrote to Esquire. She mentioned her search to LaPointe’s music therapist with Seasons Hospice and she managed to track down a copy.
Seasons Hospice Foundation, which grants wish fulfillment, had a link with the publisher and a week later, therapist Jennifer Fromius handed LaPointe what he wanted to leave his son.
“It feels nice,” LaPointe said. “Blessed that people wanted to help.”
The LaPointe family said Alex isn’t quite sure what to make of his father’s message yet, but he will and he certainly sees up close how people truly want to help each other.
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