In memory of my dear friend Jim Monahan

You’ve never heard of him, but a great conservative mind left this earth today. I just got the news a few moments ago.

One of my dearest friends died this morning after struggling with the complications of a lung transplant. He beat the odds for most lung transplant recipients by surviving for a total of six years after the first lung was replaced. It’s my understanding that two to three years is considered the average life expectancy.

I knew Jim Monahan, first as a boss, and then as a friend, for some 18 years. He was a fine man in every sense. Right now you’ll have to take my word for it as I am incapable of articulating much more than that presently. There is just too much running thru my head at the moment. I’ll just leave it at this: He had one of the brightest minds I have ever seen!

One thing I am dwelling on is this one-line email I got from him yesterday. It’s the last communication I ever received from him. The numbers he’s referring to are the stats on his blood oxygenation (the man was a complete stickler for any form of statistics!)

“On a personal side, I appear to have gone onto a plateau. My numbers have been essentially the same since June 6. They aren’t the greatest numbers in the world, but at least they are not declining. My ETA has been pushed back.”

Well Jimbo… unbeknownst to you, your ETA got pushed forward after all. May God receive you into his arms and you be granted the peace and reward of the many mansions he has promised us.

Good night and good bye my very good friend.