My Friends and Associates. The Covid-19 may break us down, Cause us pain, Challenge all we know, Strain our beliefs. But it cannot Defeat us

Have Strength My Friends and Associates the Covid-19 may break us down, Cause us pain, Challenge all we know, strain our beliefs. But it cannot and will not Defeat us.

My story,

On Thursday the 30th of April @ 9:20 pm I was in S. Jersey waiting to pick up a shipment of plastic bottles, not exhibit materials as is Lyons Gates specialty. But as we all know Trade Shows are dead right now. So as many TS carriers have adjusted to switch to anything I can put in my truck & trailer.

My mother's home for the past 5 years has been a fine Nursing home here in Westchester County New York. My mom and I fondly refer to it as the "Club"

I as many of you have read and seen the tragic way the Covid- 19 virus has ravaged these facilities that care for our loved ones.

So I was laying in my bed doing something I haven't done in about 20 years,, "praying" praying for my mother's health and asking God to protect her from becoming infected with this virus as many in her home have been and died (28) people to date have died of from the Covid-19 in her nursing home.

When at 9:32 I received a call, I laid there thinking I would not answer the phone as I do not like to speak to anyone other than my partner and wife Lucy at that hour.

But I looked at the # and it was a number I knew, a number that sent a since of dread up my spine, it was the number of the club.

My hands trembled as I pushed the answer button. And indeed it was the Head nurse calling to inform me that my mom was having a difficult time breathing and she had a very low oxygen level in her blood (60). And that they have done all they can to help her condition that appears to be symptoms of Covid-19.

What do you want us to do Jose they asked? Do you wish us to follow the directives I and my mother signed as her Health Proxy?

What were those directives again I asked are. They read them to me and I exclaimed "forget that"! I am cancelling all that now at this hour. Get my mother to a hospital! I told them I was on my way to be with her and I would be at hospital in a few hours.

I got off phone called the broker left message I had to go.

Then I began to collect myself and called Lucy. As I spoke to her I fumbled around my sleeper putting on my cloths and preparing the truck interior to ride. I was in a fog, like a movie fumbling, picking things up then putting them down. Where are my pants? Where’s my shirt, boots? They were right in front of me. Lucy clamed me down a bit and I began the most important journey I’ve ever been on.

As I was carefully driving through the small town I was in I called the hospital. I advised I was about 3 to 4 hours away and to please let me see my mom when I arrive. They were kind and eventually agreed to not admit her till I arrive.

I drove through the pouring rain and cloudy atmosphere that surrounded everything in my view from the cab of my truck. I began to pray again asking God to protect my mom asking him to let me see her one more time. And then I began to pledge my belief in him if he would answer my prayer and keep her alive. I pleaded with him. I finally broke out of the town and got on the NJ Turnpike. Weather was still bad and I kept saying to myself that I can't get into a accident, I can't get into a accident. I calmed down. It began to clear, foggy but rain slowed down.

I was losing my mind with fear and dread over my mom's condition. What will I do if she doesn't make it? So many thoughts rushed in and out of my mind. What will my family think, what will they say as there is tension among us over my mother's care even though I and Lucy are the only ones who have cared for her since her stroke in 2015.

F them I thought.

Suddenly a clam began to come over my mind, I felt a bit clearer. It dawned on me that maybe it's not my decision as to what to do to help my mother, maybe my mom wants to be with her mother and father and sister she talks about all the time.

Suddenly these words came out of my mouth, "lord if you really really need her, let your will be done" I immediately began calmed down!

Lucy met me in the car and I drove to hospital. I arrived @ 2:30 am rushed into the emergency room with only a mask on I did not care for my safety and there was my mother.

She clearly was drained and colorless, struggling to breath. Her eyes were cloudy and opaque. I wiped her forehead, I held her hand and told her how much I loved her and I would not go back on the road till she beat this virus. With breath less than a whisper she spoke my name. She heard me.

The doctor came in and asked me to step outside where she advised that my mom had Covid-19 and was likely to die.

I told the doctor that if that was what was to be then I did not want my mom to be ventilated as I was aware of the pain it would cause her. Also if I don't ventilate her I and our family would be able to see her in her last hours and be by her side when she transitions over.

I returned home at 5:00am completely depleted.  Later that day I called hospital for an update. Doctor again advised it didn't look good and be prepared. I accepted the determination of the doctor. I began again to pray for my mother and again told God if he really needs her with him "let it be"

Around 6:00pm I was in bed scrolling through my email on my phone and there was an email from Paypal regarding my April 3rd application for PPP.

It was APPROVED. I was shocked but realized the "big guy" upstairs knew I and Lyons Gate were in need of this money, especially since I just lost revenue by going to my mother’s aid. I was “ALL IN” MY FRIENDS.

Following morning Saturday I called into the hospital. The doctor began to tell me mom was getting better,,, what? Yes she was stabilizing, gaining more oxygen, eating still very weak but considerably better. "Oh Lord" thank you.

The next few days every day I called in the doctor was more encourage with her recovery thus so was I and Lucy.

On Tuesday afternoon the doctor called me and sounded very upbeat. As he discussed her strengthening condition I began to weep, weep with joy. He finally determined that she was strong enough to return to the club Tuesday evening.

OMG literally she was knocking on death's door a few days ago and now they were preparing her for release. Obviously I was silly with happiness like Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol”.

We were allowed to meet my mom at the emergency door when the ambulance was preparing her for transport back to the Club.

Lucy and I spoke to her, we could see her, and she could see us and hear us. The ambulance team held her in the walk way so we could get real close to mother. She smiled and whispered she loved me and Lucy. I again promised her I would not go anywhere till she was strong. It was a miraculous turn around.

Mother is now safely back at the club quarantined from others in a private room and under the close and diligent care of those front line workers that have loved my mom since she first entered The Salem Hills Rehabilitation Home in September of 2015.Just yesterday Lucy and I did a FB-Face time with her and she seemed very good. In fact she was flirting with one of the male attendants’ that’s she finds kind and handsome, lol

I know she is on her way back and if the unpredictability of this virus lashed back on her, we at least had time to tell my mom how much we love her and how much she means to us and our family.

And that is all she and I need, to wish her well if she must go on a new journey of life.

It is trying, emotional times such as this experience that we realize what is most important.

Not our business, not money, not our social status, not our job or canceled trips or Trade Shows.

What is most important in my view is time. And what we do with our time. Taking time to love and be with family, taking time to actually speak face to face with friends and relatives.Time to actually see, play and comfort our children. Time to say hello to your neighbors that you pass in the car with a wave to everyday. Time to have a care for those less fortunate.

And if believing in god or a higher spirit power settles our anxiety "Let It Be" embrace it as I now have.

I love my life more fully now as I have stared into the abyss and saw myself, my life, my world.

Every day of sunshine is brighter, every smile on the face of my Lucy is more endearing, and every achievement of my kids is more triumphant. And the world turns as it always does without worry or concern over hurricanes, earthquakes, fires and floods.

Even though my business is wavering and strained and each day is a challenge to make a buck I am not discouraged.

Because adversity builds character and struggle develops strength and focus.

Lucy and I, my children my family, friends and associates will open our eyes soon to a better day. We will know what most important in life and never be hypnotized again by the superficial programming we've grown to accept.

It happen for me and it can happen for you my friends, if you, if we allow it to.

“ We can be saved”

Be good, Be kind, Be safe,

Jose Williams

President, The Lyons Gate Group Corp.