My cousin, Lily was on her death bed with her family surrounding her, just waiting for the inevitable. Her husband, Sal, daughter, Sherrie and two sons waited patiently. The hospital was very busy that night, people passing by in the hallway and the family in and out of her room.

Sherrie was doing her mother's nails for her final departure and felt someone staring at her. It was a man directly across the hall in a hospital room. Several hours had past and Sherrie had not seen any visitors in this man's room. Doing as her mother would have her do, she went across the hall to visit. After all, Lily had given all of her flowers away to "the sick" on her floor that had none.

Sherrie finished her mother's nails and walked over to check on the gentleman. He was very small in frame and did not have any legs, only nubs, middle way his thigh. He was very pleasant and introduced himself as J. D. Crockett. He proceeded to tell Sherrie that her mother was very sick and would not make it through the night and that he too had lost his only family, his mother, many years ago. He wanted Sherrie to know that her mother loved her very much and she was very lucky to have such a large and loving family.

Well, Lily did pass that night. But, several times as the boys and husband would pass the room he would call their names. They would look and not recognize anyone, so they kept moving down the hallway.

The next day, Sherrie was thinking about Mr. Crockett and wondered if he was well. She called the hospital and asked for his room, "We do not have a patient by that name". Sherrie though maybe he had gone home. She called back; this person had never been registered at the hospital. Confused now, she calls that evening to speak with the charge nurse on that floor, she had of course gotten to know her well, the charge nurse told Sherrie this room had been empty for three days.....but that other patients had seen him as well. The nurse went on to explain that sometimes angels come for those that are dying and surely that is what Mr. Crockett was, an angel.

This story was told to me the day of my cousin's funeral, by her daughter. To protect the innocent, I have changed their names.