Truly a Once in a Lifetime Friendship

I met Jack Westall about four years ago. We were having weekly art therapy sessions at a local nursing home. When I mentioned that we were doing art workshops at Avondale school Jack told me that he had attended that school. I arranged to take him to our next session there. It was an incredible day when Jack sat and talked with the kids as they painted the project of the day. After that I would pick Jack up every week and we would go to lunch. We would exchange stories and life experiences and laugh about them and laugh about life. When Jack showed me a picture of himself in the war with this great mustache and smile I was inclined to do a sculpture of it and give it to him. Later he would give me a WWI medal he had found in a blown up German farmhouse he had carried for good luck throughout the war. He was 99 years old when he passed last week. We were fortunate to see him less than a week prior to his passing and he was up and quite well. I will miss you Jack and I will carry the medal you gave me in my pocket along with the memories in my heart. Yours was truly a once in a lifetime friendship.